Fortnightly - Honeywellhttps://www.fortnightly.com/tags/honeywell
enDigest (May 2014)https://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2014/05/digest-may-2014
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - May 2014</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1405-DIG-GeronimoEnergyAurora.jpg" width="1500" height="929" alt="Geronimo Energy’s Aurora Solar Project won an RFP to supply Excel with energy and capacity." title="Geronimo Energy’s Aurora Solar Project won an RFP to supply Excel with energy and capacity." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1405-DIG-DC-Cook-Plant.jpg" width="1125" height="847" alt="Babcock &amp; Wilcox will refit AEP’s Cook nuclear plant." title="Babcock &amp; Wilcox will refit AEP’s Cook nuclear plant." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1405-DIG-MISO.jpg" width="595" height="335" alt="MISO breaks ground in Little Rock for its new Southern operations center. " title="MISO breaks ground in Little Rock for its new Southern operations center. " /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1405-DIG-ToshibaSCiBBattery.jpg" width="1125" height="768" alt="" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1405-DIG-CrystalRiverNuclearPlant.jpg" width="450" height="326" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4>Renewable Energy</h4>
<p><b>SunEdison</b>, along with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, National Bank of Arizona (NBAZ), and Sol Systems announced a $50 million fund, to build a 13.4-MW solar portfolio for the State of California prison and hospital systems. Sol Systems advised Nationwide Mutual Insurance on the acquisition of the equity in the transaction. SunEdison secured long-term debt for the projects from the National Bank of Arizona (NBAZ).</p>
<p><b>Minnesota Public Utilities Commission</b> (PUC) ruled in favor of solar as a cost-competitive energy source for <b>Xcel Energy</b>. Geronimo Energy's Aurora Solar Project was selected by the PUC to fill a portion of Xcel's future generation needs. Aurora Solar is a 100-MW distributed solar generation project that will utilize solar arrays ranging in size from 2 MW to 10 MW across Xcel's service territory. The project will interconnect to multiple Xcel Energy substations across Minnesota and will provide energy and capacity for the local distribution network.</p>
<p>The <b>Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</b> (FERC) issued a 10-year pilot license to Public Utility District No. 1 Snohomish County for the proposed Admiralty Inlet Pilot Tidal Project,to be located in the Puget Sound. The 600-kW Admiralty Inlet Project is experimental - designed to determine whether commercial development of the tidal energy resources of Puget Sound is commercially viable. The pilot license authorizes Public Utility District No. 1 to study, monitor, and evaluate the environmental, economic, and cultural effects of hydrokinetic energy. The license also contains several monitoring and adaptive management requirements to protect against adverse impacts.</p>
<p><b>SunEdison</b> completed construction of a 24-MW solar power plant located in the California Desert. The Cascade solar power plant will supply renewable electricity to <b>San Diego Gas &amp; Electric </b>(SDG&amp;E) through a 20-year PPA that was awarded under the California Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM). The 150-acre solar power plant is comprised of more than 75,000 SunEdison Silvantis Monocrystalline Solar PV Modules mounted to SunEdison AP90 Single Axis Trackers. The plant will be managed by the SunEdison Renewable Operation Center (ROC), which provides asset management, monitoring, field dispatch and reporting services.</p>
<p><b>Sempra U.S. Gas &amp; Power</b> and <b>Consolidated Edison Development </b>(ConEdison Development) have partnered on five solar projects in Nevada and California. The projects include Sempra U.S. Gas &amp; Power's 250-MW Copper Mountain Solar 3 project near Las Vegas, and ConEdison Development's CED California Holdings portfolio: the 50-MW Alpaugh 50, 20-MW Alpaugh North and 20-MW White River 1 facilities in Tulare County, and the 20-MW Corcoran 1 facility in Kings County. The renewable power output from all of the projects has been sold under long-term contracts. Upon finalization of the agreements, Sempra U.S. Gas &amp; Power and ConEdison Development holding companies each will own a 50-percent interest in the five solar facilities. The agreement relative to the CED California Holdings projects is subject to regulatory approvals, which are expected during the second quarter of 2014.</p>
<p><b>First Solar</b> completed the 1.3MW solar PV power plant at Kitakyushu-shi, Japan. Powered by First Solar FS Series 3 Black PV modules, the plant will generate approximately 1,400 MWh of solar electricity per year. Power from the project will be purchased by Kyushu Electric Power Company. First Solar holds 100 percent equity in the project. Obayashi Corporation and Yaskawa Electric Corporation constructed the project.</p>
<p><b>DTE Energy Services</b> (DTEES) finished work on its construction project to convert a shuttered coal-fired power plant at the Port of Stockton, California, to operate on biomass fuel. The plant, known as Stockton Biomass, began commercial operations on Feb. 21. It is selling its renewable power to <b>PG&amp;E</b>. The plant will use about 320,000 tons of woody biomass fuel annually to generate about 45 MW of power. The fuel primarily is derived from urban wood waste, tree trimmings and agricultural processes. The plant began operation in 1989 as a coal-fired power plant and ceased operation in April 2009. DTEES purchased it in June 2010 with plans to convert the plant to biomass.</p>
<p><b>Duke Energy Renewables</b> acquired two 20-MW California solar projects from renewable energy developer <b>Infigen Energy</b>. The Pumpjack and Wildwood Solar Power Projects, located in Kern County near Bakersfield, represent Duke Energy Renewables' third and fourth utility-scale solar power projects in the state. The solar energy generated from the two projects will be sold through 20-year PPA with <b>Southern California Edison</b>.</p>
<p><b>GE </b>unveiled its 2.75-120 wind turbine, part of GE's "Brilliant" wind platform, which analyzes thousands of data points every second to help integrate operations with neighboring turbines, both to boost power output and to provide short-term predictable power through integrated energy storage. The 2.75-120 provides 5 percent more annual energy production than GE's 2.5-120 model and is available with various tower technologies, ranging between 85-139 meters, with energy storage as optional. The new turbine is available on a steel, hybrid or space frame tower. The range of tower height spans 85-139 meters tall.</p>
<h4><b>Generation</b></h4>
<p><b>ABB </b>won orders worth $45 million from Svenska kraftnät, the Swedish National Grid operator, to supply three 400-kV substation to strengthen the Swedish power grid. The substations are scheduled to be commissioned in 2015. ABB's project scope includes the design and supply of engineered packages for the high-voltage air-insulated switchgear (AIS) substations. Key products and systems to be supplied cover a range of high-voltage equipment, including a combined disconnector and circuit breaker (DCB).The DCB will integrate the disconnecting function into the circuit breaker and eliminates the need for two separate free-standing disconnectors. The substations will also be equipped with IEC 61850 based open control and protection systems and equipment.</p>
<p><b>Babcock &amp; Wilcox Nuclear Energy</b> (B&amp;W NE) was awarded a contract from <b>American Electric Power</b> (AEP) to provide steam generator services for the Donald C. Cook (D.C. Cook) Nuclear Plant just north of Bridgman, Mich. The D.C. Cook Plant contains two units, one of which is outfitted with Babcock &amp; Wilcox replacement recirculating steam generators. As part of this contract, B&amp;W NE will execute a comprehensive inspection and cleaning campaign, which includes eddy current testing, visual inspections, and water lancing. The inspections and cleaning activities are conducted periodically to monitor and maintain the condition of the steam generators.</p>
<h4><b>M&amp;A</b></h4>
<p><b>SunEdison</b> contributed and sold a portfolio of projects to SunEdison YieldCo, a newly formed yieldco vehicle wholly-owned by SunEdison. The initial capitalization of SunEdison YieldCo was financed with a $250 million facility extended by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, acting as sole lead arranger.</p>
<p><b>NRG Energy</b> entered into agreements with <b>Dominion Resources </b>to acquire its competitive retail electric marketing business. Once completed, the acquisition will support NRG's ongoing efforts to expand the company's competitive retail footprint in the Northeast and to grow its retail position in Texas.The transaction closed at the end of March.</p>
<p><b>A123 Systems</b> signed an agreement with <b>NEC Corporation </b>(NEC) of Japan to sell off its grid storage business and other assets related to energy storage for telecom and IT data storage applications. NEC acquired the A123 Energy Solutions for approximately $100 million. An agreement on the terms of the deal has been finalized and a new company, NEC Energy Solutions, is slated to begin operation in June 2014 under the direction of NEC. A123's existing cell manufacturing and sales, research and development, and automotive operations will remain the core focus of A123 Systems LLC.</p>
<p><b>NRG Energy</b> and <strong>Edison</strong> <b>Mission Energy </b>(EME) jointly announced that the <b>Federal Energy Regulatory Commission </b>(FERC) has approved the sale of substantially all of EME's assets to NRG. The acquisition of EME's portfolio of renewable and conventional generation assets will create the second-largest US power company. EME will add nearly 8,000 MW of generating capacity to the combined company's diverse portfolio of both conventional and wind generation facilities. The transaction closed on April 1, 2014.</p>
<p><b>NRG Energy</b> acquired <b>Roof Diagnostics Solar</b> (RDS), a residential solar company. Over the next month, the company will begin operating under the brand NRG Residential Solar Solutions. Terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.</p>
<p><b>Canadian Solar Solutions</b> completed the sale of Little Creek, an 8.5-MW solar power plant valued at over C$53.0 million ($47.95 USD), to a BluEarth Renewables subsidiary (BluEarth). This is the first of four planned solar projects being acquired by BluEarth from Canadian Solar, totaling 38.5 MW. The additional three utility-scale solar power plants being purchased by BluEarth, which are planned to reach commercial operation through Q2 2015, are located in Kawartha Lakes, Belleville and Beaverton, Ontario, Canada. Canadian Solar Solutions will provide turnkey EPC services for all four projects.</p>
<h4><b>Transmission</b></h4>
<p>The <b>Midcontinent Independent System Operator</b> (MISO) broke ground on a regional operations center in Little Rock, Ark. This action marks the next phase of the integration the entergy system's the four-state electric grid, which now comprises MISO's newly established southern region. Similar to the company's North Region Operations Center, the facility in Little Rock will serve as the command center for MISO's South Region. MISO expects to spend $22 million on its new facility in West Little Rock. The building is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.</p>
<p><b>Mon Power</b>, a subsidiary of <b>FirstEnergy</b>, installed new conductors on a 138-kV transmission line near Morgantown, W.Va., to handle future load growth in the Monongalia County area. The $5 million project includes three phases, with all the work occurring on existing rights-of-way. The transmission line upgrade is expected to be completed before year's end. Work is underway on the initial phase of the project which involves replacing about three miles of conductor on a transmission line between substations on Collins Ferry Road and Chaplin Hill Road in Morgantown. The next phase involves reconductoring about half a mile of transmission line and replacing six wooden structures between the substation located on Collins Ferry Road and another Morgantown substation on West Run Road. The work is scheduled to start in mid-April and be completed by early June. The final phase will be the installation of new conductor on six miles of existing transmission line between the substation on West Run Road and a substation adjacent to the Lake Lynn Power Station. Work is expected to start in July and be completed by the end of the year.</p>
<h4><b>Enterprise Software</b></h4>
<p><b>GE Energy Consulting</b> and the <b>New York Power Authority</b> (NYPA) have agreed to a one-year license arrangement allowing NYPA to use GE's Multi-Area Production Simulation (MAPS) software. NYPA is expanding its current modeling capabilities to perform high-fidelity nodal analysis. GE's MAPS software allows users to assess the value of a portfolio of generating units, identifies transmission constraints that impact the economic operation of the system and analyzes the complex interaction between the generation and transmission assets on the system.</p>
<h4><b>Metering</b></h4>
<p><b>Fleming-Mason Energy</b> (FME) selected <b>Tantalus</b> for the design and implementation of an AMI communications network in northeastern Kentucky. FME will also leverage TUNet - the Tantalus Utility Network - to support a wide range of integrated applications. FME is utilizing TUNet's hybrid RF mesh architecture which leverages an ultra-long range 220 MHz WAN backhaul in combination with a terrain hugging 900 MHz LAN. FME is also leveraging the use of remote disconnect/reconnect meters to assist in streamlining collections and improving customer service. Deployment is scheduled to be complete in December 2015.</p>
<p><b>Survalent Technology</b> commissioned an advanced distribution management system (ADMS) for <b>Lakeland Power Distribution</b>. The new system features Survalent's open-architecture system based on Windows Server. It includes Survalent's open system applications, including: SmartVU, SCADA explorer, event data recording, IED wizard &amp; control panel, SCADA add-in, remote alarm annunciation, DNP 3.0 scan task, connectivity import interface, AMI interface and ICCP master to master protocol. The system will include integration with a number of other enterprise systems such as ICCP connection with Hydro One, connectivity import connection with ESRI GIS and integration with the Elster AMI system to receive unsolicited outage message notifications.</p>
<h4><b>EVs &amp; Storage</b></h4>
<p><b>Toshiba</b> delivered battery energy storage systems integrating the company's SCiB, a lithium-ion secondary battery to Kyushu Electric Power, for a demonstration project to expand introduction of renewable energy sources on remote Japanese islands. The systems have been installed in substations on Tanegashima Island and Amamioshima Island, in Kagoshima prefecture. The demonstration program will run for three years to fiscal 2016. The maximum output and capacity of the systems Toshiba has delivered are 3,000kW and 1,161kWh for Tanegashima Island and 2,000kW and 774kWh for Amamioshima Island.</p>
<h4><b>Nuclear Energy</b></h4>
<p><b>Duke Energy Florida</b> sold 76 unused nuclear fuel assemblies from its retired Crystal River Nuclear Plant through a request for proposals (RFP) process. Federally licensed U.S. nuclear power plants and nuclear fuel fabricators are the only entities receiving Duke Energy Florida's RFP to buy the nuclear fuel assemblies. All proceeds from the sale of these assets will benefit Florida customers by reducing the amount of money Duke Energy Florida may recover from customers.</p>
<h4><b>Natural Gas</b></h4>
<p><b>Dominion</b> received word from the <b>Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</b> (FERC) that the agency will issue its environmental assessment for the Dominion Cove Point LNG liquefaction and export project on May 15. The proposed export facility will be located within the 131-acre footprint of the existing LNG import facility. No new pipelines, storage tanks or piers are needed at the facility. The company needs about 50 permits and approvals before construction can begin. Dominion filed notice for the pre-filing process with the FERC in June 2012 that it was planning to add export capability at its Cove Point terminal in Lusby, Md., in Calvert County on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. FERC has been researching and analyzing the application since then. Dominion filed the application in April 2013.</p>
<h4><b>Demand Response</b></h4>
<p><b>Honeywell</b> and <b>CPS Energy</b> (CPS) announced a two-year program whereby CPS will use automated demand response (ADR) technology and services from Honeywell. The program is expected to mark the largest ADR deployment by a municipal utility, and will build on a pilot project that CPS Energy and Honeywell completed last year. The completed pilot project had included nine commercial and industrial facilities, and has helped trim demand by approximately 1.5 MW. Honeywell and CPS Energy will look to enroll 60 additional sites, bringing the potential reduction to nearly 6 MW. Honeywell will also provide its Akuacom Demand Response Automation Server, software as a service (SaaS) that enables CPS Energy to send signals to building automation systems at sites enrolled in the program.</p>
<h4><b>Microgrids</b></h4>
<p><b>Canadian Solar</b> opened the new Canadian Solar Microgrid Testing Centre to focus on microgrid solution testing, system solution design and smart grid assessment services. The Canadian Solar Microgrid Testing Centre, partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Energy, will be located in Guelph, Ontario and will work with its collaborators to provide shareable services for utilities, universities and colleges, communities, and companies that engage in the development of microgrid solutions.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/generation-markets">Generation &amp; Markets</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/td-grid">T&amp;D Grid</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/finance">Finance</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/digest">Digest</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
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<a href="/tags/sunedison">SunEdison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nationwide-mutual">Nationwide Mutual</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/arizona">Arizona</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sol-systems">Sol Systems</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/minnesota">Minnesota</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/xcel-energy">Xcel Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-energy-regulatory-commission">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ferc">FERC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/san-diego-gas-electric-0">San Diego Gas &amp; Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sdge">SDG&amp;E</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sempra-us-gas-power-0">Sempra U.S. Gas &amp; Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/consolidated-edison">Consolidated Edison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/first-solar">First Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dte-energy">DTE Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ge-energy-consulting">GE Energy Consulting</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/new-york">New York</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pge">PG&amp;E</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke">Duke</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ingigen">Ingigen</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ge">GE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/babcock-wilcox">Babcock &amp; Wilcox</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-electric-power">American Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midcontinent-independent-system-operator">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/miso">MISO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mon-power">Mon Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/firstenergy">FirstEnergy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/toshiba">Toshiba</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nrg-energy">NRG Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/a123">A123</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nec-corporation">NEC Corporation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edison-mission">Edison Mission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/roof-diagnostics-solar">Roof Diagnostics Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/canadian-solar-solutions">Canadian Solar Solutions</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cps-energy">CPS Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/canadian-solar">Canadian Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fleming-mason">Fleming-Mason</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tantalus">Tantalus</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/survalent">Survalent</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lakeland-power-distribution">Lakeland Power Distribution</a> </div>
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Mon, 28 Apr 2014 12:43:34 +0000meacott17175 at https://www.fortnightly.comHoneywell and CPS Energy Expand Efforts to Help Make the Electrical Grid Smarterhttps://www.fortnightly.com/honeywell-and-cps-energy-expand-efforts-help-make-electrical-grid-smarter
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Honeywell</strong> and <strong>CPS Energy</strong> (CPS) announced a two-year program where CPS will use automated demand response (ADR) technology and services from Honeywell. The program is expected to be the largest ADR deployment by a municipal utility, and will build on a pilot project that CPS Energy and Honeywell completed last year. The pilot included nine commercial and industrial facilities, and helped trim demand by approximately 1.5 MW. Honeywell and CPS Energy will look to enroll 60 additional sites, bringing the potential reduction to nearly 6 MW. Honeywell will also provide its Akuacom Demand Response Automation Server, software as a service (SaaS) that enables CPS Energy to send signals to building automation systems at sites enrolled in the program.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cps-energy">CPS Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/automated-demand-response">automated demand response</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/adr">ADR</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/program">program</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/akuacom-demand-reponse-automation-server">Akuacom Demand Reponse Automation Server</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/saas">SaaS</a> </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-news-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/news-categories/dr-conservation-news">DR &amp; Conservation News</a></li></ul></div>Tue, 01 Apr 2014 16:41:35 +0000aburr17129 at https://www.fortnightly.comDigesthttps://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2014/03/digest
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - March 2014</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1403-DIG-Tehachapi%20Renewable.jpg" width="1125" height="844" alt="PAR Electrical Contractors won a contract to build part of the 500-kV Tehachapi Renewable Transmission project in California." title="PAR Electrical Contractors won a contract to build part of the 500-kV Tehachapi Renewable Transmission project in California." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1403-DIG-VC%20Summer%20Station.jpg" width="1125" height="647" alt="SCE&amp;G agreed to acquire a 5-percent stake in Units 2 and 3 under construction at the V.C. Summer nuclear station in South Carolina." title="SCE&amp;G agreed to acquire a 5-percent stake in Units 2 and 3 under construction at the V.C. Summer nuclear station in South Carolina." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1403-DIG-LM6000.jpg" width="836" height="392" alt="Quanta Power Generation won a contract to build a combined-cycle power plant in Anchorage, Alaska, using two GE LM6000 turbines." title="Quanta Power Generation won a contract to build a combined-cycle power plant in Anchorage, Alaska, using two GE LM6000 turbines." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1403-DIG-Nyagan-1.jpg" width="718" height="352" alt="Siemens won a long-term service contract for a combined-cycle, natural gas turbine power station in Russia." title="Siemens won a long-term service contract for a combined-cycle, natural gas turbine power station in Russia." /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4>M&amp;A</h4>
<p><b>Canadian Solar</b> sold two solar power plants totaling 4.4 MW to <b>PSEG Solar Source</b>. The plants have a 20-year offtake agreement with PG&amp;E. Collectively called the PSEG Shasta Solar Farm, the two arrays are built at an elevation exceeding 3,300 feet between Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta in northern California. Construction started in July 2013, with commercial operation expected in early 2014. <b>Blue Oak</b> <b>Energy</b> is providing turnkey EPC services to complete the projects and will provide operations and maintenance services after completion.</p>
<p><b>TransCanada</b> reached an agreement to sell <b>Cancarb Ltd.</b> and its related power generation facility to <b>Tokai Carbon</b> for $190 million. The transaction is expected to close late in the first quarter of 2014, subject to various approvals. Cancarb produces thermal carbon black, a specialized form of carbon derived from super-heated natural gas, which is used in a wide range of industrial and automotive products. The Cancarb power plant captures waste heat from carbon black production, augmented with natural gas to produce 41 MW of capacity.</p>
<p><b>Allete Clean Energy </b>finalized the purchase of wind farms in Minnesota, Iowa, and Oregon from <b>AES</b>. Allete acquired the operating wind energy projects for $27 million, and all three wind farms, totaling 231 MW, have power purchase agreements (PPA) in place for their entire electric output. Allete also signed in November an option agreement to acquire a fourth wind farm from AES in mid-2015. Pursuant to that option agreement, Allete will have an option to acquire the 101-MW Armenia Mountain (Penn.) wind farm. That project became operational in 2009 and sells power under two long-term PPAs.</p>
<p><b>Integrys Energy Group</b> agreed to sell 100 percent of the stock of Michigan utility <b>Upper Peninsula Power Co.</b> (UPPCO) to infrastructure equity investment fund Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners LP for $298.8 million. The deal includes UPPCO's electricity distribution operations, excluding its American Transmission Co. holdings.</p>
<p><b>Alterra Power</b> sold half of its 51-percent interest in the Dokie 1 wind farm to <b>Fiera Axium Western</b> <b>Energy</b>. Alterra received initial sales proceeds of $28.625 million and could receive further earn-out payments of up to $2.25 million over the next three years depending on asset performance. Alterra will retain 25.5-percent ownership of Dokie 1, and will continue to operate and manage the project.</p>
<p><b>South Carolina Electric &amp; Gas</b> (SCE&amp;G) and <b>Santee Cooper</b> established an agreement for SCE&amp;G to acquire from Santee Cooper a 5-percent ownership interest in the two new nuclear units currently under construction at V.C. Summer Station in Jenkinsville, S.C. The transaction - which would become effective on the units' completion - increases SCE&amp;G's total stake to 60 percent of the new nuclear units and reduces Santee Cooper's to 40 percent. The purchase price is expected to be approximately $500 million for the entire 5-percent interest based on current project cost. The agreement also provides that Santee Cooper won't transfer any of its remaining ownership interest in the two new units until both units have been completed. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of necessary regulatory approvals.</p>
<p><b>Arizona Public Service</b> completed its purchase of <b>Southern California Edison's</b> (SCE) ownership in Units 4 and 5 of the Four Corners Power Plant near Farmington, N.M. As part of its plan - originally announced in November 2010 - APS has permanently closed the plant's older, less efficient Units 1, 2, and 3, and will install additional emission controls on the remaining units. Acquiring SCE's 48 percent interest in the larger Units 4 and 5 will increase APS's total Four Corners capacity from 791 MW to 970 MW. APS now owns 63 percent of Units 4 and 5, which constitute the plant moving forward. The final purchase price for the Southern California Edison share is approximately $182 million.</p>
<p><b>EDF Renewable Energy</b> acquired the 194-MW Spinning Spur 3 Wind Project from <b>Cielo Wind</b> <b>Power</b> (Cielo). Spinning Spur 3 is located on about 18,000 acres in Oldham County, Texas, 50 miles west of Amarillo. Commercial operation is expected by the end of 2015, using ERCOT's new CREZ transmission lines to deliver power to two municipal utilities, <b>Georgetown Utility</b> <b>Systems</b> and <b>Garland Power &amp; Light</b>, under long-term PPAs.</p>
<h4>Transmission</h4>
<p><b>The Northern Pass</b>, a proposed transmission line carrying hydroelectric power to New Hampshire and New England, cleared a regulatory milestone by securing I.3.9 approval by<b> ISO New England</b>, the operators of the region's power grid. The I.3.9 process determines whether Northern Pass can reliably interconnect with the New England grid. By approving the project's I.3.9 application, ISO New England determined Northern Pass will have no significant, adverse effect on the reliability or operating characteristics of the regional energy grid and its participants. All energy projects must secure this approval in order to be connected to the regional power grid.</p>
<p><b>Southern California</b> <b>Edison</b> selected Quanta Services' <b>PAR Electrical Contractors</b> to complete construction of segment 7 and portions of segment 8 of its Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) in California. PAR's scope of work under the contract includes the installation of double circuit 500-kV overhead transmission line, environmental mitigation and compliance, foundation installation, tower erection and conductor installation. Quanta has mobilized resources for the TRTP project and expects segment seven of the project to be completed by year-end and PAR's portions of segment eight to be completed by February 2015.</p>
<p>The <b>Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission</b> approved <b>PPL Electric Utilities's</b> proposed Northeast Pocono Reliability Project, a $335 million project that involves building new electrical substations and a new 230-kV power line running approximately 60 miles. PPL Electric Utilities submitted the project to the PUC in late December 2012, after soliciting public input at 13 community meetings in the project region. The utility is working with various agencies to secure environmental permits. Completion is expected in 2017.</p>
<h4>Grid Modernization</h4>
<p><b>Southern Company</b> completed the smart grid development efforts associated with the $165 million Smart Grid Investment Grant awarded to the company by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009. Through a combination of matching funds and additional investments, the company spent a total of $363 million to accelerate smart grid implementation and make the grid more reliable, efficient and secure.</p>
<p><b>Honeywell</b> and power management company <b>Stor Generation Ltd.</b> launched a new smart grid program in the U.K. The companies will use Honeywell technology to provide demand response capacity for grid stability, and also to help integrate variable renewable generation. Stor Generation will use Honeywell's Akuacom software as a service (saas) offering to connect with participating facilities and communicate when it's necessary to reduce energy use. Stor Generation will then aggregate and provide the resulting reserves to National Grid for its short-term operating reserve (STOR) initiative.</p>
<p><b>Georgia Power</b> completed a statewide smart grid improvement project conducted through a multiyear Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) awarded by the Department of Energy (DOE). The $109 million project, which includes $52.5 million in funds from the DOE and $56.5 million from the company, is part of a larger $165 million project that created 73 self-healing networks made up of 174 feeders. Georgia Power says the project deferred the need for an additional 200 MW of generation.</p>
<p><b>ConEdison Solutions</b> signed a $56 million contract with the U.S. Army Reserve's 99th Regional Support Command to provide energy efficiency services and operations and maintenance support at 90 sites in 11 states. The contract is a component of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Savings Performance Contract program. Under this initiative, a limited number of qualified, private-sector energy service providers can provide energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation services to federally owned buildings and facilities. The final design and construction for the project is underway and should be completed in 2015.</p>
<p><b>Utility Partners of America</b> (UPA) installed nearly 40,000 digital electric meters on behalf of Spokane, Wash.-based <b>Inland Power &amp; Light </b>(Inland P&amp;L). UPA is providing complete installation services including a work-order management system (WOMS), workflow development, customer information system (CIS) interface, and data and inventory management. The meters will provide Inland P&amp;L with diagnostics that will help improve power quality, increase ways to optimize the electrical system and pinpoint outages. The project started in late January 2014 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.</p>
<p><b>Kx Systems</b> was selected to provide its kdb+ database to Ontario, Canada's<b> Independent Electricity System Operator</b> (IESO) to support the retrieval and querying of smart meter data processed by Ontario's meter data management and repository (MDMR) system. Kx Systems' relational database management software will be utilized to support MDMR data retrieval, processing, and analysis. In Ontario, the central MDMR provides a common platform for processing, storing, and managing all hourly meter data in the province. Kdb+ provides unified access to real-time and historical data eliminating the need for multiple different types of databases for transaction processing, data access, and analytics. The IESO is responsible for managing Ontario's bulk electricity power system and operating the wholesale market.</p>
<p><b>Salt River Project </b>(SRP) signed a long-term agreement with <b>Landis+Gyr</b> to update and expand its advanced metering and prepay system in a phased, 10-year installation across its service territory. The utility plans to deploy Landis+Gyr's Gridstream RF network beginning this summer to support ongoing improvements to the technology used by 142,000 prepay customers. SRP will begin installing more than one million Landis+Gyr E350 AX-SD meters to provide both credit and prepayment options for all their customers.</p>
<h4>Generation</h4>
<p>The Chilean Ministry of Energy and Corfo (Corporacion de Fomento de la Produccion) selected <b>Abengoa</b> to develop a $1 billion, 110-MW solar plant using tower technology with 17.5 hours of thermal energy storage using molten salts. The project will be located in the Atacama Desert and will be the first solar-thermal plant for direct electricity production in South America. Construction is due to start in the second half of 2014.</p>
<p><b>Constellation</b> signed an agreement with the City of Los Angeles to design, build, and operate a 27-MW biogas-fired cogeneration plant at L.A. Sanitation's Hyperion treatment plant. The new plant, which will cost approximately $130 million to build, will burn digester gas produced at Hyperion, producing steam and electricity for treatment operations. Constellation and its subcontractors will develop, construct, and operate the cogeneration facility for 10 years, with an option to extend the agreement for five additional years. Commercial operation is expected by the end of 2016.</p>
<p><b>Element Power US</b>, owner and developer of the Mill Creek Wind Farm, and <b>KCP&amp;L Greater</b> <b>Missouri Operations</b>, have entered a PPA for a 200-MW wind energy facility to be built in Holt County, Mo. The $400 million project will be sited on approximately 25,000 acres under lease with more than 100 landowner partners. Element Power anticipates beginning construction in Q3 2014, with commercial operation expected by the end of December 2015.</p>
<p><b>First Solar</b> began construction on Phase I of the Barilla solar project in Pecos County, Texas. The 22 MW project is expected to begin commercial operation in mid-2014. First Solar will build, commission and operate the plant and offer the output to customers, including municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and larger commercial and industrial users.</p>
<p><b>EDF Renewable Energy</b> announced a 20-year PPA with <b>Southern California</b> <b>Edison</b> (SCE), contracted through the California Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM) competitive procurement program, for 19.8-MW wind project. The Patterson Pass wind project is a repowering effort whereby older technology is upgraded, allowing for increased generation of clean energy with fewer wind turbines. Approximately 300 Nordtank and Bonus 65-kW turbines, originally installed in 1985, will be removed as part of the development process. EDF Renewable Energy will develop, own, and operate the wind project with SCE purchasing the power generated. Commercial operation is anticipated for the end of 2015. EDF Renewable Services will continue to operate and maintain the project.</p>
<p><b>Anchorage Municipal Light &amp; Power</b> selected <b>Quanta Power Generation</b> for the 120-MW George M. Sullivan Plant 2 generation replacement project in Anchorage, Alaska. Quanta will provide EPC services for all equipment and facilities for the 2x1 combined-cycle facility, using GE LM6000 combustion turbines. Construction is expected to be complete in September 2016.</p>
<p><b>Iberdrola S.A.</b> won a contract for the construction and operation of the 300-MW Baja California III combined-cycle power plant in Mexico. Work on the $270 million plant and associated facilities will begin in April 2014 with commercial operation planned for August 2016. Iberdrola won the bid through an international tender process, which also included a 25-year PPA with the Mexican Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). CFE also will supply the natural gas to fuel the new plant's two GE turbines.</p>
<p><b>Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association </b>selected<b> Hitachi Power Systems America </b>(HPSA) to design and supply a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for its Craig Generation Station Unit 2 in Craig, Colo. The coal-fired unit generates about 428 MW. The SCR system will use Hitachi's catalyst for NO<sub>X</sub> removal over a wide operating load range throughout the year. Tri-State Generation expects the SCR will help it meet or exceed its NO<sub>X</sub> emissions-reduction requirements while minimizing sulfur trioxide (SO<sub>3</sub>) emissions.</p>
<p><b>Siemens</b> and <b>Fortum</b> signed a long-term service contract for the Nyaganskaya GRES combined cycle power plant in Nyagan, Russia. (GRES is the Russian acronym for "state district power plant," generally steam condenser-type coal-fired boiler plants.) The power station consists of three combined-cycle power units totaling 1,254 MW. The first unit, with a capacity of 420.9 MW, began commercial operation in April 2013. The commercial operation of the second unit began at the end of 2013, and the third unit is currently under construction. Under terms of the long-term agreement, Siemens will provide service and maintenance for the gas turbines, steam turbines, and generators of all three combined-cycle plants for a period of six years.</p>
<p><b>Enerjisa</b>, a joint venture of <b>Sabanci Holding</b> and <b>E.ON</b>, ordered a turnkey combined-cycle plant from<b> Siemens</b>. Upon completion in the spring of 2016, the Bandirma II in Turkey will have an installed capacity of around 600 MW and an efficiency of over 60 percent. Siemens will also supply the following main components: an SGT5-8000H gas turbine, a model SST5-5000 steam turbine, and an SGen5-3000W water-cooled generator, along with the entire electrical system, a 400 kV high-voltage switchgear installation, and the SPPA-T3000 instrumentation and control system. The order also includes a Benson-type heat recovery steam generator manufactured by NEM and the auxiliary and ancillary systems.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/generation-markets">Generation &amp; Markets</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/td-grid">T&amp;D Grid</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/finance">Finance</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/digest">Digest</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/canadian-solar">Canadian Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pseg-0">PSEG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/blue-oak">Blue Oak</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/transcanada">TransCanada</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cancarb">Cancarb</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tokai-carbon">Tokai Carbon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/allete">Allete</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aes">AES</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/integrys">Integrys</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/upper-peninsula">Upper Peninsula</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/uppco">UPPCO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/alterra">Alterra</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fiera-axium-western">Fiera Axium Western</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northern-pass-0">Northern Pass</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/iso-new-england">ISO New England</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-california">Southern California</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/par-electrical">PAR Electrical</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pennsylvania-public-utility-commission">Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppl-electric">PPL Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/south-carolina">South Carolina</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sceg-0">SCE&amp;G</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/santee-cooper">Santee Cooper</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/arizona-public-service">Arizona Public Service</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edf-renewable">EdF Renewable</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cielo-wind">Cielo Wind</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/georgetown">Georgetown</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/garland">Garland</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-company">Southern Company</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/stor-generation">Stor Generation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/georgia">Georgia</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/conedison">ConEdison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/utility-partners-america">Utility Partners of America</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/inland">Inland</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/kx-systems">Kx Systems</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ieso">IESO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/salt-river">Salt River</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/srp">SRP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/landisgyr">Landis+Gyr</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/abengoa">Abengoa</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constellation">Constellation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/element-power">Element Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/kcpl">KCP&amp;L</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/missouri">Missouri</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/first-solar">First Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/anchorage">Anchorage</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/quanta">Quanta</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/iberdrola">Iberdrola</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tri-state">Tri-State</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/hitachi">Hitachi</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fortum">Fortum</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/enerjisa">Enerjisa</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sabanci-holding">Sabanci Holding</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/eon">E.On</a> </div>
</div>
Mon, 03 Mar 2014 01:29:38 +0000meacott17075 at https://www.fortnightly.comHoneywell and Stor Generation Connect With Building Owners to Stabilize Electrical Grid https://www.fortnightly.com/honeywell-and-stor-generation-connect-building-owners-stabilize-electrical-grid
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Honeywell</strong> and power management company <strong>Stor Generation Ltd.</strong> launched a new smart grid program in the U.K. The companies will use Honeywell technology to temporarily trim energy use in commercial and industrial facilities, combining the excess power to help stabilize the electrical grid, and address country-wide carbon reduction and renewable energy commitments. Under the program, Stor Generation will pay facility owners to lower consumption when the call for electricity starts to outpace what power plants and renewable resources are able to produce. Stor Generation will use Honeywell's Akuacom software as a service (SaaS) offering to connect with the participating facilities and communicate when it is necessary to reduce energy use. Stor Generation will then aggregate and provide the resulting reserves to National Grid for its short term operating reserve (STOR) initiative.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/stor-generation">Stor Generation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/smart-grid">Smart grid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/uk-0">U.K.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electrical-grid">electrical grid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/akuacom">Akuacom</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/software-service">software as a service</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/saas">SaaS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/national-grid">National Grid</a> </div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-news-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/news-categories/smart-grid-distribution-automation-news">Smart Grid &amp; Distribution Automation News</a></li></ul></div>Mon, 03 Feb 2014 18:20:18 +0000aburr17036 at https://www.fortnightly.comEconomy of Smallhttps://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small
<div class="field field-name-field-import-deck field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Deck:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>How DG and microgrids change the game for utilities.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-byline field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Byline:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Michael T. Burr</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-bio field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Author Bio:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><b>Michael T. Burr</b> is <i>Fortnightly’s</i> editor-in-chief. Email him at <a href="mailto:burr@pur.com">burr@pur.com</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - May 2013</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-EarthSpark-Les-Anglais-84.jpg" width="690" height="465" alt="EarthSpark International representatives install prepaid meters to connect microgrid customers in Les Anglais, Haiti." title="EarthSpark International representatives install prepaid meters to connect microgrid customers in Les Anglais, Haiti." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-EarthSpark-Les-Anglais-68.jpg" width="698" height="502" alt="EarthSpark International representatives install prepaid meters to connect microgrid customers in Les Anglais, Haiti." title="EarthSpark International representatives install prepaid meters to connect microgrid customers in Les Anglais, Haiti." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-EarthSpark-Les-Anglais-60.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="EarthSpark International representatives install prepaid meters to connect microgrid customers in Les Anglais, Haiti." title="EarthSpark International representatives install prepaid meters to connect microgrid customers in Les Anglais, Haiti." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-SRJ-Solaria-array.jpg" width="1500" height="941" alt="PV, a fuel cell, and storage batteries can fully power the 4,500-bed Santa Rita Jail during an outage." title="PV, a fuel cell, and storage batteries can fully power the 4,500-bed Santa Rita Jail during an outage." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-SRJ-fuel-cell.jpg" width="1500" height="916" alt="PV, a fuel cell, and storage batteries can fully power the 4,500-bed Santa Rita Jail during an outage." title="PV, a fuel cell, and storage batteries can fully power the 4,500-bed Santa Rita Jail during an outage." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-grid-building.jpg" width="1500" height="1000" alt="Migrogrid power lights up the Geisel Library at UC San Diego." title="Migrogrid power lights up the Geisel Library at UC San Diego." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-white-oak-aerial.jpg" width="1500" height="1000" alt="The FDA’s White Oak headquarters relies on a 21-MW microgrid installed by Honeywell." title="The FDA’s White Oak headquarters relies on a 21-MW microgrid installed by Honeywell." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-SRJ-Solaria.jpg" width="1500" height="1000" alt="" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1-SRJ-wind-turbines.jpg" width="1179" height="1500" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>At its White Oak headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., the U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t worry about power outages. That’s because the FDA’s sprawling campus near Washington, D.C., is home to one of the most sophisticated microgrids on the East Coast. </p>
<p>The system is connected to PEPCO’s grid. But with 21 MW of onsite generating capacity, and with solar arrays, thermal storage, and load management systems installed by Honeywell, the White Oak microgrid is capable of isolating itself from PEPCO and running in island mode almost indefinitely—depending on a steady supply of fuel and sunshine, of course. And White Oak has done exactly that several times in recent years, including during and after Superstorm Sandy last fall. While neighboring buildings were in the dark, White Oak kept the lights on.</p>
<p>The U.S. General Services Administration financed the $71 million microgrid project—a tidy sum for a 21-MW system. But Honeywell says it will save the FDA about $11 million a year in energy and O&amp;M costs. That means in less than 10 years, the federal government should start seeing payback from its investment—or sooner if the region gets hit by more storms like Sandy.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, further south along the Atlantic basin, electricity is reaching people in some Haitian villages for the first time ever. A not-for-profit company, EarthSpark International, is setting up tiny utility systems to serve residential and commercial customers. EarthSpark installs microgrids—which tap existing diesel generating capacity, and add solar PV, battery storage, SCADA, and prepaid metering systems—to provide power for nearby homes and businesses. Local service reps set up energy sales contracts for customers, and sell LED lighting and other efficient electric appliances through EarthSpark’s retail subsidiary, Enèji Pwòp (“clean energy”).</p>
<p>Compared to the White Oak system, the EarthSpark microgrids are miniscule; in the village of Les Anglais, for example, EarthSpark is on track to install 150 kW of solar capacity, augmented by about 15 kW from a diesel generator at a Digicel cell phone tower, to provide service for 400 customers. But the potential effect of microgrids in Haiti is anything but miniscule. The availability of microgrid electricity allows customers to cut their monthly energy budgets by as much as 80 percent by reducing or eliminating the need to burn kerosene and candles—and vastly improving their indoor air quality in the bargain. And now Enèji Pwòp micro-power systems are sprouting up across northern Haiti through a partnership with Organisation des Jeunes Visionnaires Haïtiens, a group that provides job training and supports entrepreneurship for Haitian youths. The idea is to spread microgrids as profitable enterprises.</p>
<p>“We’re looking to replicate microgrids in Haiti with a commercial financial model,” says Richenda van Leeuwen, executive director of the UN Foundation’s Energy Access Initiative <i>(See sidebar, “Microgrids for the World”)</i>. “The ideal approach would involve a known, stable revenue stream that allows the sponsor to calculate a return profile.”</p>
<p>That’s the key phrase that has transformed the microgrid concept from an unlikely curiosity into a bona-fide development opportunity. Microgrids already are cost-effective in some locations, and seem destined to become more so in the future. Several major trends are pointing in that direction—from growing supplies of natural gas to fuel onsite generation, to rapidly improving energy management technologies and practices. And of course photovoltaics (PV) technology is advancing at an exponential rate, bringing costs down to grid parity in many places, and providing almost immediate payback in locations where expensive diesel fuel provides most of the electricity.</p>
<p>When these and other factors come together in a microgrid package, the potential benefits are promising enough that they’ve given rise to a whole new industry, with a community of developers focused on financing, building, and operating microgrids around the world, across the full range of sizes. And just like the independent power industry did for generation, microgrids could break the seal on the utility compact, introducing competition into the energy industry’s last great monopoly—the electric distribution business.</p>
<p>“It could, in fact, be the final game changer,” says Michael Zimmer, senior counsel at the Thompson Hine law firm. “It’s much like cell phones were a game changer for the centralized landline telephone system, starting the transformation in the mid-’80s that led to the vibrant competitive mobile telecom system that we see today. The microgrid is a logical outgrowth of IT development in the energy sector, and it’s a solution to the inadequacies of the status-quo regulated utility system.”</p>
<h4>Optimization and Economics</h4>
<p>“Microgrid” has emerged as the hottest buzzword in the utility industry. But the fact is, depending on how you define the term, the microgrid really isn’t new. For decades, hospitals and government facilities have used backup power systems to keep the lights on during outages, and manufacturing and processing industries have operated their own inside-the-fence cogeneration systems in a variety of configurations—grid-tied, utility dispatchable, and entirely off-grid. But a better definition of a microgrid involves more than just distributed generation (DG)—which is a disruptive trend in its own right, but is incomplete without the other components that make a microgrid work. Specifically, a microgrid combines various types of distributed energy resources (DER)—generation, storage, and demand management—in a discrete, smart package. In an integrated utility network, like ours in the United States, the optimal microgrid also is a grid-friendly package that can be isolated on the fly, or conversely, dispatched as a controllable resource.</p>
<p>It’s an elegant idea that heretofore hasn’t gained much traction, because it requires complex and expensive technology to accomplish—not to mention a supportive electric utility. But a few factors are making microgrids easier and more cost-effective to build than their simpler ancestors.</p>
<p>First, the core resource in a microgrid—distributed generation—has gotten cheaper. Or rather, it’s cheaper for gas-fired systems in markets that are enjoying the fruits of the shale-gas boom; diesel fuel remains stubbornly expensive. But other supply technologies definitely have dropped in price—<i>i.e.</i>, the aforementioned PV, and also wind turbines, fuel cells, and batteries. PV in particular is dramatically changing the economic calculus in remote locations that lack a supply of cheap gas, and those that offer government incentives for solar energy. And batteries and other forms of integrated storage are increasingly cost-effective and useful for stabilizing the frequency and voltage of small-scale grids.</p>
<p>“Storage is the great leveler,” says Steve Pullins, president of design and development company Horizon Energy. “Every microgrid we install has energy storage. It allows us to actively manage the system.”</p>
<p>That’s where the second factor comes in—energy management systems. Increasingly sophisticated automation and controls allow microgrids to operate with a much tighter reserve margin than macro-scale utilities historically have dared to attempt.</p>
<p>In a regular grid, electric energy, capacity, voltage support, and reactive power supplies are provided by a large pool of hydro, nuclear, and fossil generation. A microgrid operating in island mode can’t tap into such deep resources, so its automated systems must dynamically ramp loads up and down in real time, while synchronizing multiple energy supplies with different power factors and characteristics. These are tricky tasks, and the technology is still maturing. But the evolutionary path leads to increasingly affordable microgrids—because the more efficiently you can manage the system, the less capacity you’ll need to build, and the less fuel you’ll burn.</p>
<p>Fortunately for microgrids, energy management technology is advancing rapidly, along with the utility industry’s growing reliance on less-firm, distributed resources, like demand response (DR), conservation, and variable renewables. “The fundamental technologies are there, but they haven’t been integrated for this application yet,” says Peter Lilienthal, president of HOMER Energy, which provides software for modeling microgrid systems. “Technical standards aren’t yet in place, so the first few projects must use custom solutions. But there’s enormous opportunity for costs to come way down.”</p>
<p>And third, the trend toward integrating DERs in wholesale energy markets is changing the way some utilities and resource planners view the whole energy services business, creating new opportunities for alternative approaches. In organized markets, a next-generation microgrid could be treated like a big dispatchable load—and perhaps even a power plant that can relieve congestion on the grid.</p>
<p>The prospect of microgrid-as-power-plant raises interesting possibilities vis-à-vis revenues from net metering and grid services. But it also raises technical and regulatory issues, and not everyone agrees that microgrids should export power to the grid. Pareto Energy, for example, uses inverters that keep its microgrids effectively isolated, even when they’re drawing power from the grid. But whether it’s designed to export power or not, a microgrid could qualify as a non-transmission alternative (NTA)<span style="color:#b22222;"><b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#1" title="1. See “Looking Beyond Transmission: FERC Order 1000 and the case for alternative solutions,” by Elizabeth Watson and Kenneth Colburn, Public Utilities Fortnightly, April 2013. ">1</a></sup></b></span> for system planning purposes—a category of grid asset the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2011 established in its landmark Order 1000.</p>
<p>At this stage of development, the optimal microgrid is still evolving; going from grid-tied to island mode isn’t always a seamless or glitch-free process. But microgrids equipped with next-generation energy management systems and controls will be highly valuable assets in an integrated utility network.</p>
<p>“Cracking the code on optimization should drive down our costs, and allow us to utilize huge untapped benefits in distributed resources,” says David Mohler, Duke Energy’s chief technology officer. He points out that of all the DG systems now installed, about 80 percent sit idle almost all of the time. “They aren’t being economically dispatched. Integrated into a larger system, they can be used more effectively. That’s something we can figure out.”</p>
<p>Toward that end, Duke installed a microgrid test project in its home town of Charlotte, at the McAlpine Creek substation. The project involves a 50-kW PV array and a 500-kW zinc-bromide battery, serving a fire station and about 100 homes equipped with energy management systems—all managed with a commercial software package called IDROP (Integrated Dispatchable Resource Optimization Portfolio). Duke reports remarkable results from the project—estimating significant returns on investment when the system is economically dispatched, based on locational pricing and real-time cost of service.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#2" title="2. “[D]ispatching the battery and customers based on LMP and COS [locational marginal pricing and cost of service] has profound changes on the net value to the utility. [W]ithout any dispatching of the distributed resources, the microgrid would result in a net loss of over a dollar [over the test period], while managing all these resources as a system results in a net income of over four dollars… This is a proven solution that is easily extensible to deliver short-and long-term return on investment.” See Michael Ozog, Integral Analytics, and Anuja Ratnayake, Duke Energy, “Orchestrating Duke’s ‘Virtual Power Plant,’” presented at Association for Energy Services Professionals National Meeting, 2010.">2</a></sup></b></p>
<p>“There’s huge potential for microgrids to provide very-much-enhanced DR and peak avoidance,” Mohler says. “It’s about cost savings. If you have 50 MW in microgrids, and you can take those customers off and put them back on when the peak is gone, that would be pretty amazing.”</p>
<p>In the future, optimized microgrids like Duke’s will be part of a transactional energy market, in which resources are valued and operated on the basis of system constraints. “As we move toward nodal markets, microgrids will provide targeted DR that can help utilities manage costs and manage the grid,” says Pullins of Horizon Energy. “Those are economic drivers for utilities and their customers.”</p>
<h4>Franchise Fracas</h4>
<p>For every potential benefit, the microgrid poses half a dozen technical challenges. But perhaps more important than technical issues are financial and regulatory barriers.</p>
<p>On the regulatory front, microgrids defy the standard approach to retail utility services, leapfrogging the rate-regulated framework and providing a full scope of services directly to host customers, at their sites. Different jurisdictions present different regulatory challenges, but as a general matter, when a microgrid owner in the United States seeks to serve more than one customer—or sometimes even the same customer with locations on two sides of a public street—that’s when legal battles tend to begin.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#3" title="3. See “Peaceful Coexistence: Independent microgrids are coming. Will franchised utilities fight them or foster them?” by Sara C. Bronin and Paul R. McCary, Public Utilities Fortnightly, March 2013.">3</a></sup></b> As a result, most developers in the United States expect each microgrid to serve just one narrowly defined customer—following the same legal paths as a company that develops inside-the-fence cogeneration systems.</p>
<p>But restricting microgrids to single-customer facilities or campuses imposes an artificial limit on the market, and arguably prevents microgrids from providing the full measure of their value in locations where multiple adjacent customers can be effectively served as a unit. The trick to escaping this single-customer ghetto, developers say, would be to use ownership and sales structures that tiptoe around utility franchise laws<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#4" title="4. Not all utility franchise laws in the United States forbid independent sales to multiple retail customers, and some franchise agreements allow for certain exceptions and exemptions; op cit., Bronin and McCary. ">4</a></sup></b> —or, alternatively, to forge arrangements that secure the active support of franchised utilities.</p>
<p>“We have a microgrid at a university with all kinds of adjacent privately owned properties, including a data center and a hotel,” says Guy Warner, founder and CEO of Pareto Energy. “They’d like to pool their resources and join the microgrid. How do you organize them? To what extent can they self-determine their energy infrastructure?”</p>
<p>If the local utility won’t support multi-customer microgrid development, some possible approaches involve forming electric cooperatives; municipalizing certain grid assets; or establishing mutual company structures that perhaps could behave as a single customer. Warner suggests another approach, based on the “business improvement district” model that’s sometimes used to foster economic growth in specific areas. These districts sometimes get the blessing of a city or other government agency, but they’re developed and managed by the residents of the district. “An energy improvement district makes sense where there’s a spot in the grid with a bunch of energy users that can pull together to negotiate,” Warner says.</p>
<p>In each situation, the key would be for customers to present a united front that utilities and regulators can’t easily dismiss. Arrangements resulting from such an approach might resemble the aggregation structures that are proliferating in some states with deregulated retail electricity markets. Like an energy service company aggregating demand, a cluster of customers could aggregate their full scope of energy supply requirements, and contract them out to a microgrid service provider. Exactly what services the third party might provide, and how the assets would be owned, would depend on various factors—including regulatory structures, customers’ needs, and financing arrangements.</p>
<p>Such approaches, however, remain somewhat academic, as companies are focusing first on developing the potential market for single-customer microgrids. These projects present more than enough complexities for developers, without picking fights over the utility franchise.</p>
<h4>Dollars for DER</h4>
<p>Microgrid developers seem to be going through the same gauntlet that IPP developers traversed back in the 1980s and 1990s—convincing banks and investors to provide debt and equity financing for a new type of energy enterprise. Microgrids pose technology risks, cash-flow questions, and regulatory uncertainties—just like early IPPs did. And as a result, most microgrids in the industrialized world today are being financed by their host institutions, frequently with government assistance.</p>
<p>U.S. taxpayers paid for the FDA’s microgrid at White Oak, and also will pay for dozens of military microgrids being pursued by the Defense Department at its various bases around the world. New York University financed the microgrid at its Washington Square campus with tax-exempt revenue bonds.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#5" title="5. Microgrids: An Assessment of the Value, Opportunities and Barriers to Deployment in New York State, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, September 2010. ">5</a></sup></b> The University of California paid for its famous microgrid at UC San Diego, with help from the California Energy Commission. And Alameda County financed the $6.4 million microgrid at the Santa Rita Jail, with help from the State of California and the U.S. DoD’s fuel cell program. In each case, the money was relatively cheap and easy to raise, on the strength of the host institution’s credit and tax-exempt status.</p>
<p>Project financing for independently owned commercial microgrids, however, is another story.</p>
<p>“In the long run our plan is to be an owner,” says Terry Mohn, CEO of General Microgrids. “But we have to attract capital for projects. Banks aren’t familiar with microgrids, so the way to attract capital is to have a power purchase agreement (PPA). That’s unfortunate, but it’s what the banks understand.”</p>
<p>It’s unfortunate because a microgrid is much more than just a power plant, and thus the capital costs will be much higher per kilowatt of microgrid capacity—and per kWh of sales—than they would be for a traditional IPP. A microgrid likely will have revenue streams beyond just energy sales, but those streams might seem less tangible to a banker. “The model we’re looking at is very similar to a PPA, with infrastructure costs added in,” Mohn says. “The generation pays for the other elements of the microgrid—the reliability, demand management, and integrated smart grid components.”</p>
<p>This approach, Mohn says, works best for projects 10 MW or larger in size, because those projects have enough energy sales revenue to cover non-generating capital costs. Pullins at Horizon, on the other hand, says PPAs can work for microgrids as small as 2 MW. “That’s where both the customer and the third-party developer can financially benefit,” he says.</p>
<p>“You have to remember that C&amp;I customers in the United States have been investing in 5.5 GW of new behind-the-meter generation capacity and energy efficiency programs every year for the last 15 years,” Pullins says. “That’s up to $6 billion a year they’re spending on self-generation and load control. With a microgrid, you can do it more efficiently and effectively. You can offer a lower rate and a lower cost-escalator than they currently bear, and still have a fair rate of return on the project. And at the same time, you make them a more successful grid partner, a good citizen on the grid.”</p>
<p>Ultimately, the goal is to develop a financial model in which the energy customer pays a premium—say, 10 or 15 percent—for a more resilient and reliable energy supply, and that amount, combined with energy savings and perhaps revenues for things like DR bidding and renewable energy credits, adds up to healthy debt-service coverage for banks.</p>
<p>“The microgrid project finance model is absolutely a work in progress,” says Mark Lopata, president of Microgrid Solar, which sells distributed rooftop solar systems and also develops microgrids on islands. “There are lots of banks and investors that understand the renewable energy business—the technology risk and cash flows—and they’re willing to finance projects as leases or PPAs. It’s just a matter of presenting it to them in a way that makes sense. They’re looking for projects that come to the table fully fleshed out.”</p>
<p>Beyond pure commercial financing, options can open up where projects serve policy goals at various government levels. The state of Connecticut provides grants and loans to support microgrid development.<b><sup><a a="4120&amp;Q=508780" cwp="" deep="" href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#6" http:="" title="6. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Microgrid Grand and Loan Pilot Program" www.ct.gov="">6</a></sup></b> New York and California both have provided funding for microgrids, and so have the U.S. DOE and DoD. Some microgrids can qualify for special funding to support things like EV charging; distributed generation; conservation and efficiency; renewables; and greenhouse gas abatement. Microgrids also could benefit from federal and state tax incentives, to the degree equity owners have tax liabilities to offset.</p>
<p>Projects also might fit into tax-efficient financing vehicles, like master limited partnerships or real estate investment trusts.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C9#7" title="xxx">7</a></sup></b> “If you can define microgrid projects as MLPs or REITs, that would be very useful to bridge the gap for capital formation,” says Zimmer of Thompson Hine. “PACE [Property Assessed Clean Energy] financing also offers potential.”</p>
<p>In some cases, developers might finance microgrids by leaning on a host customer’s balance sheet at some phase—through a lease or build-own-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement. Many IPPs used such structures during that industry’s maturation phase, particularly in jurisdictions that restricted ownership of energy assets. And also like early IPPs, microgrid developers could team up with more established players that have larger balance sheets—in this case energy service companies and perhaps system vendors and engineering companies. SAIC and DNV KEMA, for example, have teams focused on developing microgrids.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C10#8" title="xxx">8</a></sup></b> “I wouldn’t be surprised if Siemens, Johnson Controls, and Honeywell got into this market, because there’s an opportunity here,” Mohn says. “It’s a big opportunity.”</p>
<p>The most logical partners, of course, are utilities themselves. Investment-grade utilities can access some of the lowest-cost capital in the market. They have real-world operating know-how about smart grid systems, and clear reasons for gaining more knowledge about them. And if the local utility were an investor, it might be more inclined to facilitate interconnection and dispatch, and optimize assets for everyone’s benefit. The local utility is in the best position to know where microgrids make the most sense—<i>i.e.</i>, to relieve congestion and reduce the cost of serving customers in load pockets, for example, or in places where distribution systems are stressed.</p>
<p>“We’d like to know where the weak substations are,” says Warner of Pareto Energy. “We have no idea. Utilities have all the information, and they’re not going to tell us where to get the most bang for the buck.”</p>
<p>But properly motivated, a utility might tell—and it might even support multi-customer microgrids, if it means resolving persistent problems in a cost-effective way, and raising customer satisfaction in the process.</p>
<p>“The model I prefer is to let utilities do this,” Warner says. “They should forge a new business model, like Bell Atlantic became Verizon. There must be win-win ways for them to get into the microgrid business.” He acknowledges that in some states, regulations prevent distribution utilities from investing in generation. “But they can do financing,” he says. “They can do T&amp;D, dispatch, forecasting, metering, controls … they should be doing all of that, or at least the controls, if nothing else.”</p>
<h4>Microgrids for America</h4>
<p>Microgrids’ ability to achieve their potential—to truly deliver benefits to the grid, rather than just provide some benefits to host customers—likely depends on utilities’ willingness to facilitate rather than fight the phenomenon. “The utility could offer microgrids as a service, but as far as I know no utility does,” Warner says. “I don’t understand why.”</p>
<p>The likely reasons are complex. One issue is the aforementioned constraint on unbundled utilities investing in generation. Another involves prohibitions against self-dealing and cross-subsidy; investing in a microgrid that sells power back to the utility could be perceived as diverting capital into a speculative venture to benefit certain customers and utility shareholders, to the detriment of non-microgrid customers. On that point, utilities increasingly are concerned about stranded investments and rising burdens to provide service for self-generating customers.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C10#9" title="xxx">9</a></sup></b> Investing in a microgrid might be seen as exacerbating the problem, while also diminishing the utility’s standing in regulatory proceedings addressing the issue.</p>
<p>And some utilities might feel constrained by state laws that require them to provide equivalent service to all customers within a class; regulators frown upon utilities offering higher service levels to some customers and not others. Of course states establish special tariffs for various programs, and utilities could find a way to do so for microgrids if they had a good reason.</p>
<p>But given this array of challenges, the question isn’t why utilities don’t offer microgrids as a service, but why in the world they’d want to do so. One reason might be that if they don’t do it, someone else will.</p>
<p>“Disintermediation is happening,” says Mohler of Duke Energy. “We’re seeing more players getting into the space—the EnerNOCs and Googles of the world. Some of it is destroying value, but a lot of it is creating value.” And just as any disruptive transition is most problematic for incumbent, legacy businesses, microgrids and other DER upstarts pose a challenge for utilities—try to beat them, or try to join them?</p>
<p>“If I were the CEO of a large utility, I would jump on this opportunity,” says Mohn of General Microgrids. “If I can build 80 microgrids in 80 different communities, wouldn’t that be just like building a utility, but without all the implications of owning a large service territory? I would think a utility would be a great candidate to make that investment. But on the flip side, maybe communities and customers will say ‘Utilities haven’t serviced us properly, so why would we want them to do it now?’ It’s a great opportunity for an independent developer to come in and serve those customers.”</p>
<p>Utilities understandably oppose competition in the distribution business, and their first instinct likely will be to block it or marginalize it.<b><sup><a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/05/economy-small?page=0%2C10#10" title="xxx">10</a></sup></b> But doing so poses its own risks—including the real possibility of a backlash, if utilities become hostile toward microgrids and other DERs. After all, if microgrids soon will become cost-effective for some customers in grid-tied mode, how much longer can it be before they pay off as fully isolated systems?</p>
<p>By some accounts, this is a small risk, given that most microgrids won’t be designed with off-grid operations in mind. They won’t be able to generate a full 100 percent of the host’s energy needs, and islanding during a utility outage will require emergency load shedding. But as time goes on, and as developers gain experience with isolated systems elsewhere in the world, the economics will change. Depending on whom you ask, viable off-grid systems might not be far off.</p>
<p>“When we propose a microgrid, we consider four business case scenarios,” says Pullins of Horizon Energy. “We consider maximum savings, maximum renewables, grid independence, and maximum diversity. The difference in cost between the maximum savings and grid independence scenarios isn’t very large.”</p>
<p>Pullins suggests that if utilities move to discourage microgrids—for example, by forcing self-generation customers to carry the full freight of non-energy network charges, even when they’re not buying electricity—they might just be making the off-grid option more attractive, and creating ill will that serves no one.</p>
<p>“That’s not a good model for utilities,” Pullins says. “After all, this isn’t microgrids challenging the regulatory model; it’s customers challenging that model. Utilities shouldn’t have misplaced aggression against microgrids.” The strategy of marginalizing DERs by heaping costs on fixed charges is a “death spiral,” he says.</p>
<p>Moreover, strategies that contravene the wishes of customers seem likely to elicit a vigorous public reaction that could complicate life for utilities in policy forums. “I don’t suspect a utility would be successful arguing with their customer base,” Pullins says. “Certainly they wouldn’t be successful in the public forum. One thing you never do in a customer-facing industry is sue your customers.”</p>
<p>That leaves two key questions for utilities: How many customers might move toward microgrids, and how should we deal with them? Depending on how the future unfolds, the numbers could be substantial. Just as aggregation arrangements are proliferating in states where they’re allowed, micro­grids could become attractive to many commercial, industrial, and institutional customers that want service levels and options that utilities aren’t providing. How many of those customers would actually take the leap is an open question; Pullins puts the total number of prospects at 24,000 sites in the United States, with as many as 300 getting microgrids by the end of 2015. But whatever the exact number, a large share are likely to be exactly the kinds of customers that utilities are most loath to lose.</p>
<p>“The subset of customers who passionately want to get away from the big-bad utility, and who are prepared to make the required investment and to manage the technical issues it entails—that subset of customers is small,” says Mohler of Duke Energy. “For those customers, they should be able to do it. It’s their prerogative. To me the key question isn’t how do you prevent it, but how do you capture the full value of distributed energy? I don’t believe it would be possible for an individual customer to create as much value with a microgrid as it would as a fully integrated, dispatched part of the broader system.”</p>
<h4>Ratebase Redux</h4>
<p>Microgrids and DERs raise difficult questions for utilities, but they also accelerate a paradigm shift that some utilities have been anticipating—and might actively support.</p>
<p>“The root issue,” Mohler says, “is that the existing utility business model simply has to change.”</p>
<p>The utility industry’s traditional volumetric business model, he says, with standard rate tariffs and least-cost planning, is obsolete in a world where customers require a wider range of differentiated services than simply taking electrons off a wire. “The business model is left over from when the industry was electrifying the country,” he says. “That’s done now, electricity demand has flattened out, and utility service today is about life convenience.”</p>
<p>Accordingly, the utility industry should refocus its mission on serving the customer’s need for value, rather than the bare necessity for energy. Indeed, that need is the whole reason microgrids are cropping up—to deliver a level of value that traditional utility services simply don’t, even though they certainly could. Arguably microgrids—and distributed energy resources in general—are the proverbial camel’s nose under the tent; they’re a small factor today, but they could become much larger and very disruptive, very quickly.</p>
<p>“As more of this activity goes forward and costs improve, we’ll face a real issue,” Mohler says. “How does society finance the reliability of the system as load starts coming off? There has to be a mechanism. It’s not free.”</p>
<p>This growing concern about demand destruction reflects a realization by utilities that they’re no longer the only game in town, when it comes to energy services. That’s a fact that executives and policymakers are still trying to reconcile with service obligations and rate structures established by the utility regulatory compact. Ultimately the problem—and the solution—might be found in the emerging transactional approach to valuing energy services.</p>
<p>“Utilities tend to look at things in the average, not the margin,” Warner says. Microgrids will be most cost effective on the margin, he explains, where costs of service substantially exceed the average. “Those are the places where it makes sense to do distributed generation. The utility is in a jam in certain places where the marginal cost of power is a lot higher than [what it can charge for] its duty to serve. Those places are win-win opportunities, where without microgrids, the utility is just losing money.”</p>
<p>Zimmer of Thompson Hine adds, “Smart utilities might see microgrids as a new service model. Using distributed energy and digital infrastructure creates a new way to address growing concerns. It’s a way to better manage power stability, in terms of voltage levels, frequency, and signal phasing. And it might be a way to test dynamic pricing and other rate approaches.”</p>
<p>But such opportunities are only as compelling as the regulatory structures that allow utilities to profit from them, whether through rate-based capital or unregulated investments.</p>
<p>“We have to begin pursuing regulatory policies and strategies that allow the business model to evolve,” Mohler says. “Maybe the place to start is just to allow different types of customers to be treated differently, if they want different kinds of service.”</p>
<h4>Endnotes:</h4>
<p><a name="1" id="1"></a>1. See “<a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/04/looking-beyond-transmission" target="_blank">Looking Beyond Transmission: FERC Order 1000 and the case for alternative solutions</a>,” by Elizabeth Watson and Kenneth Colburn, <i>Public Utilities Fortnightly</i>, April 2013. </p>
<p><a name="2" id="2"></a>2. “[D]ispatching the battery and customers based on LMP and COS [locational marginal pricing and cost of service] has profound changes on the net value to the utility. [W]ithout any dispatching of the distributed resources, the microgrid would result in a net loss of over a dollar [over the test period], while managing all these resources as a system results in a net income of over four dollars… This is a proven solution that is easily extensible to deliver short-and long-term return on investment.” See Michael Ozog, Integral Analytics, and Anuja Ratnayake, Duke Energy, “<a href="ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/data/sw-library/information-management/bigdata-partners/integralanalytics/Orchestrating-Dukes-Virtual-Power-Plant.pdf" target="_blank">Orchestrating Duke’s ‘Virtual Power Plant</a>,’” presented at Association for Energy Services Professionals National Meeting, 2010.</p>
<p><a name="3" id="3"></a>3. See “Peaceful Coexistence: Independent microgrids are coming. Will franchised utilities fight them or foster them?” by Sara C. Bronin and Paul R. McCary, <i>Public Utilities Fortnightly</i>, March 2013.</p>
<p><a name="4" id="4"></a>4. Not all utility franchise laws in the United States forbid independent sales to multiple retail customers, and some franchise agreements allow for certain exceptions and exemptions; <i>op cit.</i>, Bronin and McCary. </p>
<p><a name="5" id="5"></a>5. <a href="http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/~/media/Files/Publications/Research/Electic%20Power%20Delivery/10-35-microgrids.ashx?sc_database=web" target="_blank"><i>Microgrids: An Assessment of the Value, Opportunities and Barriers to Deployment in New York State</i></a>, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, September 2010. </p>
<p><a name="6" id="6"></a>6. <a href="http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=4120&amp;Q=508780" target="_blank">Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection</a>, Microgrid Grand and Loan Pilot Program.</p>
<p><a name="7" id="7"></a>7. See “<a href="http://spark.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/green-reits-mlps-and-cs">Green REITs, MLPs, and Up-Cs: Tax-efficient capital vehicles for unregulated utility investments</a>,” by David F. Levy, et al., <i>Fortnightly’s Spark</i>, April 2013. </p>
<p><a name="8" id="8"></a>8. See “March of the Microgrids: Technology is changing the game. Is your utility ready?” <a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/01/march-microgrids">http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/01/march-microgrids</a> by Stephen F. Schneider, SAIC; and “<a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/01/smart-grid-crossroads">Smart Grid at a Crossroads: Refining the business case for advanced distribution investments</a>,” by Michael T. Burr, <i>Public Utilities Fortnightly</i>, January 2013.</p>
<p><a name="9" id="9"></a>9. See “<a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2013/03/law-unintended-consequences">The Law of Unintended Consequences: The transition to distributed generation calls for a new regulatory model</a>,” by Robert E. Curry Jr., <i>Public Utilities Fortnightly</i>, March 2013. </p>
<p><a name="10" id="10"></a>10. In one recent case, the Public Service Commission rejected a petition by NV Energy to block the Department of Energy from transferring its electric business at the Nevada National Security Site (the nuclear weapons testing site) to the Valley Electric Association cooperative. DOE gave VEA a $62 million contract to provide services over five years. Although not a microgrid as such, the VEA contract includes almost doubling onsite generation from 40 MW to 70 MW, and upgrading systems to improve reliability and “eliminate long-standing low-voltage concerns.” <i>(</i><a href="http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/puc2/Dktinfo.aspx?Util=Electric http://vea.coopwebbuilder.com/sites/vea.coopwebbuilder.com/files/nevada_national_security_site_awards_contract_to_valley_electric_association10-24-2012.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Nevada PSC Dkt. 13-01021</i></a><i>)</i></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field-collection-container clearfix"><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar field-type-field-collection field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-sidebar clearfix">
<div class="content">
<div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-title field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Title:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Redefining Scale Economics</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-body field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Body:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><!--smart_paging_filter-->A few comments on scale economics from Steve Pullins, president of Horizon Energy:
“There’s a misconception about economies of scale,” he says. “When we think about economies of scale, we naturally think bigger is better. If you’re building coal-fired power plants, or natural gas combined-cycle plants, bigger ones will be cheaper [per kilowatt], and the next one will be cheaper than the last one. But in reality, that’s not the case. Prices are going up. We no longer see economies of scale in the next plant that gets built.” <p>
Pullins continues: </p><p>
“Where we do see economies of scale is in distributed energy. But it’s on a numbers basis as opposed to a size basis. </p><p>
"If a company builds more packaged CHP units at 1.5 to 2 MW each, prices will decrease, because it’s doing more packaging, more drop shipments, more installations.</p><p>
“The costs are being driven out of the distributed solar industry, and energy storage is showing a nice, long-term decrease in capital costs. These devices are developing with a numbers-based economy of scale, as opposed to size-based economy of scale. That’s why, in the long term, distributed energy will be able to compete. </p><p>
"The industry hasn’t nearly reached its full potential to drive out costs. </p><p>
"We’re figuring out ways to assemble 15-kW solar trees in a matter of hours, from the time that sub-assemblies arrive on site to the time it’s operating. We’re working with Sunverge Energy on solar energy and battery storage systems. From the time the hardware gets onsite, it’s ready to operate in one hour."</p><p>
“All the work is done in the factory where it can be economized to the max. That’s the next generation of scale economics.” (<i>edited October 2013</i>) </p></div></div></div> </div>
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</div></div><div class="field-item odd"><div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-sidebar clearfix">
<div class="content">
<div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-title field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Title:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Microgrids for the World</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-body field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Body:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><!--smart_paging_filter-->Some of the drivers for microgrids are different in developing countries, compared to the industrialized world. Namely, in developing countries, microgrids are an important part of the electrification effort. According to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook report, achieving the United Nations goal of universal access to electricity by the year 2030 will require a combination of grid extension and significant use of microgrids and other decentralized solutions. “Grid extension in certain parts of the world is either uneconomical or impractical,” says Richenda Van Leeuwen with the UN Foundation’s Energy Access Initiative. “To reach universal energy access, something like 60 percent of the solution will come from decentralized energy services, of which 75 percent would be some sort of minigrid or microgrid configuration. That’s according to IEA’s models.”
Consequently, one of the biggest drivers for microgrid development today is the need to rapidly bring electricity into remote communities and underserved urban areas. The UN created a network of about 1,000 organizations—including private companies, investors, and not-for-profit civil society organizations—who are working on energy access efforts. About 100 of these participate in a working group focused on microgrids, most of which will be small-scale projects, from as low as 1 kW serving multiple households, up to a few megawatts in capacity to serve a whole community. Most of these microgrids will start out as purely isolated systems, with the potential to be connected to a bigger grid at some point in the future. Of course microgrids on various islands in the world’s oceans will never be connected to a central grid. “But in some locations you have the possibility for interoperation with a national grid, and you’d look at the possibility of net metering and the potential for providing peak shaving capacity at some point,” she says.
Many of the companies working on microgrids in developing markets are the same ones that are pursuing microgrids in the industrialized world. Duke Energy, for example, is investigating opportunities to develop solar microgrids in Ghana in partnership with the Global BrightLight Foundation; and in Haiti, Duke is considering hybrid village microgrids that ultimately could link together in organic, modular fashion to help electrify the poorest country in the Americas. And General Microgrids got its start by focusing on developing countries; it has a contract in Kenya to build up to 4,000 MW of microgrids.
Technologies and fuels for microgrids varies by geographic location. Natural gas isn’t available in most developing countries, so fossil-powered microgrids mostly burn diesel fuel. But the high cost of petroleum, especially in remote locations and islands, creates a strong motivation to use as many indigenous resources as possible. One developer in India, Husk Power, uses a proprietary biomass gasification technology to convert rice husks into power fuel. The company sets up 25-kW to 100-kW microgrids that it says can deliver electricity for less than 15 cents a kilowatt-hour. Some other systems use micro-hydro, wind, or increasingly solar power. A German-Senegalese joint venture, Inensus West Africa, is building microgrids in the 20-kW size range that use a combination of diesel, PV, and wind generation. In all cases, the goal is to provide power commercially at prices that local customers can afford—replacing expensive and dirty kerosene for lighting, for example, and in many cases displacing expensive and unreliable power provided by struggling utilities and inefficient small diesel generators.
“We’re working in places where utility power costs around 75 cents/kWh,” says Marc Lopata of Microgrid Solar, which is developing small hybrid power systems on islands. Most of these systems will burn some diesel fuel, but any kilowatt that can be replaced by solar or wind will save substantial money for customers. And such efforts serve to advance the state of the art in developing microgrids.
“Islands will be the leaders,” says Peter Lilienthal of microgrid modeling software company HOMER Energy. “Because of the cost of oil, the prospect of doing renewables at a high penetration rate, and the need for the technology to make it work, islands are where the innovation will happen.” The same factors are driving innovation in undeveloped parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America—and that innovation is advancing technologies and project structures that can be adapted for use in the industrialized world.
“You’re catching the debate at the onset of a new regime,” says Terry Mohn of General Microgrids. “Microgrids ultimately will be developed and they’ll be just as competitive as large generation and transmission systems. I’ll get really good at building them in developing countries, and then I’ll come to the U.S. and really make hay.”–MTB</div></div></div> </div>
</div>
</div></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/commercial-industrial">Commercial &amp; Industrial</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/distributed-generation">Distributed Generation &amp; Microgrids</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/renewables-solar-11505">Solar</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/article-categories/evs-storage-0">EVs &amp; Storage</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/article-categories/dr-conservation">DR &amp; Conservation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/article-categories/retail-markets">Retail Markets</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/article-categories/pricing-0">Pricing</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-7"><a href="/article-categories/energy-policy-legislation">Energy Policy &amp; Legislation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-8"><a href="/article-categories/smart-grid">Smart Grid</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-9"><a href="/article-categories/transmission">Transmission</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-picture field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image Picture:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1305-FEA1.jpg" width="1500" height="952" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/dg">DG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/microgrid">Microgrid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/food-and-drug-administration">Food and Drug Administration</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fda">FDA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pepco">PEPCO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar">Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/thermal">thermal</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/load-management">load management</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/superstorm-sandy">Superstorm Sandy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/earthspark-international">EarthSpark International</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/led">LED</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/eneji-pwop">Eneji Pwop</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/les-anglais">Les Anglais</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/digicel">Digicel</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/haiti">Haiti</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/richenda-van-leeuwen">Richenda Van Leeuwen</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/united-nations">United Nations</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/un-energy-access-initiative">UN Energy Access Initiative</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/generation">generation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/photovoltaic">Photovoltaic</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pv">PV</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/michael-zimmer">Michael Zimmer</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/thompson-hine">Thompson Hine</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/grid-tied">grid-tied</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/grid">off-grid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/distributed-generation">Distributed generation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/distributed-energy-resources">Distributed energy resources</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/der">DER</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/steve-pullins">Steve Pullins</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/horizon-energy">Horizon Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/demand-response">Demand response</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/peter-lilienthal">Peter Lilienthal</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/homer-energy">HOMER Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/non-transmission-alternative">non-transmission alternative</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nta">NTA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-energy-regulatory-commission">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/island-mode">island mode</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/david-mohler">David Mohler</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke-energy">Duke Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mcalpine-creek">McAlpine Creek</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/idrop">IDROP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/integrated-dispatchable-resource-optimization-portfolio">integrated dispatchable resource optimization portfolio</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/rate-regulated">rate-regulated</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/inside-fence">inside-the-fence</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/single-customer">single-customer</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/guy-warner">Guy Warner</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pareto-energy">Pareto Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/multi-customer">multi-customer</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/energy-improvement-district">energy improvement district</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ipp">IPP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/new-york-university">New York University</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/uc-san-diego">UC San Diego</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/california-energy-commission">California Energy Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/terry-mohn">Terry Mohn</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/general-microgrids">General Microgrids</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/power-purchase-agreement">Power purchase agreement</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppa">PPA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/marc-lopata">Marc Lopata</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/microgrid-solar">Microgrid Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/international-energy-agency">International Energy Agency</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/global-brightlight-foundation">Global BrightLight Foundation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/husk-power">Husk Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/inensus-west-africa">Inensus West Africa</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/johnson-controls">Johnson Controls</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/reliability">Reliability</a> </div>
</div>
Fri, 03 May 2013 20:29:31 +0000meacott16569 at https://www.fortnightly.comVendor Neutralhttps://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2012/04/vendor-neutral
<div class="field field-name-field-import-category field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Vendor Neutral</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">April 2012</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1204-VENpic1.jpg" width="1142" height="1433" alt="Siemens is supplying SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines for MidAmerican Energy’s 407-MW expansion project in Iowa." title="Siemens is supplying SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines for MidAmerican Energy’s 407-MW expansion project in Iowa." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1204-VENpic2.jpg" width="982" height="646" alt="AEP started operations at its 580-MW Dresden gas-fired combined cycle plant." title="AEP started operations at its 580-MW Dresden gas-fired combined cycle plant." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1204-VENpic3.jpg" width="800" height="532" alt="Jacobs Engineering is rebuilding a gas-fired power plant within a historic building on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis." title="Jacobs Engineering is rebuilding a gas-fired power plant within a historic building on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1204-VENpic4.jpg" width="761" height="512" alt="DTE Energy Services finished converting the formerly coal-fired Mt. Poso power plant to burn biomass." title="DTE Energy Services finished converting the formerly coal-fired Mt. Poso power plant to burn biomass." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1204-VENpic5.jpg" width="1054" height="1500" alt="National Grid is installing Coulomb Technologies electric vehicle charging stations at 30 locations around Massachusetts. " title="National Grid is installing Coulomb Technologies electric vehicle charging stations at 30 locations around Massachusetts. " /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4>Generation</h4>
<p><b>MidAmerican Energy</b> awarded a contract to <b>Siemens Energy</b> to supply wind turbines for its 407-MW project expansion. Siemens will supply 176 turbines to be installed at four sites in Iowa. The orders follow the completion of Siemens projects in Iowa exceeding 593 MW of wind capacity. Siemens is expected to provide SWT-2.3-108 turbines for MidAmerican’s 103.5-MW Vienna project, to be located in Marshall and Tama counties; its 200.1-MW Eclipse project in Guthrie and Audubon counties; the 101.2-MW Morning Light project in Adair County; and one 2.3-MW turbine at the Rolling Hills project. The contract includes a five-year service, maintenance, and warranty agreement. The nacelles and blades for the turbines will be manufactured at Siemens’ facilities in Fort Madison, Iowa, and Hutchinson, Kan.</p>
<p><b>American Electric Power</b> began operating the 580-MW Dresden natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant. AEP purchased the partially built Dresden plant from Dominion Resources in 2007 for about $85 million. AEP accelerated construction in January 2011. Total costs for the plant were about $366 million. The Dresden plant will supply electricity to AEP’s Appalachian Power customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee.</p>
<p><b>Duke Energy</b> and <b>China</b><b>Huaneng Group</b> signed a three-year agreement expanding their research cooperation to include coal and carbon capture and sequestration technologies. The companies initially signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 to share information on renewable and clean energy technologies. In 2009, Huaneng developed a facility that economically captured 120,000 tons of the carbon dioxide per year emitted from the 1,320-MW coal-fired Shidongkou power station. The expanded agreement calls for an engineering study to determine the potential feasibility of applying Huaneng’s carbon capture process at unit 3 of Duke’s Gibson station in Indiana. The U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center is providing funding for the collaborative effort.</p>
<p><b>Macpherson Energy</b> and <b>DTE Energy Services</b> (DTEES) completed their project to convert the Mt. Poso cogeneration plant in Kern County, Calif., to rely entirely on biomass fuel—primarily urban and agricultural wood waste—instead of coal. Starting in November 2011, one year after the conversion project began, the plant began delivering 44 MW of capacity to the California grid under a long-term power purchase agreement with Pacific Gas &amp; Electric. The plant also produces steam for enhanced production at a nearby oil field owned by Macpherson Energy. JPMorgan Chase provided tax credit financing for the project.</p>
<p>The <b>University of Minnesota</b> awarded a design services contract to <b>Jacobs Engineering</b> for the decommissioning, historic preservation, and construction of the Old Main Utility Building (OMUB) power plant in Minneapolis. A 14-MW gas-fired power plant will augment an existing coal-burning facility to provide electricity and steam for the university campus. The project will cost $81 million.</p>
<p>The <b>Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Industry Alliance</b> selected the <b>Areva</b> Generation IV reactor concept as its design for next-generation nuclear plants. The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is intended to provide an inherently safe and secure design by ensuring no internal or external event could cause a release of radioactive material. Areva says the HTGR’s modular design would support applications in power generation, petrochemicals, unconventional oil recovery, and synthetic fuel production.</p>
<p><b>Siemens Industry</b> introduced its new Sinvert PVM UL inverter, designed to convert solar energy into grid-compliant AC voltage. The inverters are available in the range from 12 kW to 24 kW for small- to medium-sized plants, and Simens says they’re capable of 98 percent peak efficiency. The inverters are compliant with IEC, UL and NFPA standards.</p>
<h4>Demand Response</h4>
<p><b>Honeywell</b> implemented a two-year pilot program with <b>Hawaiian Electric Co.</b> to demonstrate how demand response (DR) technology can help integrate more intermittent renewable energy into the electric grid. Hawaiian Electric will conduct a test of fast DR technology, which gives the utility and commercial and industrial facilities the tools to temporarily reduce demand within 10 minutes of notification. When the utility triggers an event, the system will communicate with building management systems to automatically execute load-shed measures that customers set in advance, such as cycling air conditioners and turning off non-essential lights, pumps, and motors. In the first phase, the program will provide more than 6 MW of semi-automated load control. </p>
<p>, which provides standby power systems, expanded its service offerings to include support and management of generators in DR programs. Titan will focus primarily on interruptible-rate DR, which uses a customer’s onsite power generation as a source of load control. The DR management program combines generator service and maintenance, onsite monitoring, remote control, and trend analyses.</p>
<h4>Enterprise Software</h4>
<p><b>Canary Labs</b> released v.9.5 of its data historian and trending applications. The new version expands data replication, communication capabilities, mobile features, add-ins for Microsoft Excel, and support for historical aggregates. The company says the upgrade will simplify the consolidation of data to a centralized server. Drivers allow Canary Labs to interface with third-party business systems such as Oracle, SAP and Crystal Reports.</p>
<p><b>Space Time Insight</b> introduced the Situational Intelligence Suite for Utilities, a set of applications that convert real-time, historical, and predictive data into displays for decision-making. Built on geospatial and visual analytics software, the system is designed to allow utility managers to visualize and analyze assets, resources, and operating conditions, which the company says will facilitate collaboration across departments. The system’s smart meter application is intended to help organizations visually correlate real time meter data with enterprise, grid, communications, environmental, and other information streams to better understand their smart meter operations.</p>
<h4>Smart Grid</h4>
<p>The <b>Siemens</b> smart grid division and TIBCO Software provided smart grid enterprise integration services to <b>Consolidated Edison</b> for a smart grid demonstration project funded by a Department of Energy (DOE) grant under the <i>American Recovery and Reinvestment Act</i>. TIBCO says its enterprise messaging technology will give Con Edison real-time flow of information across deployed assets for decision making capabilities, while Siemens smart grid visualization capabilities provide a browser-based user interface. Implementation began in August 2011, with completion scheduled for May 2013.</p>
<p><b>Hitachi</b> and <b>Silver Spring Networks</b> formed a strategic alliance, under which the two companies will jointly undertake R&amp;D for new smart grid products. Hitachi and Silver Spring have been working together on a collaborative smart grid demonstration project on the Hawaiian island of Maui since the spring of 2011. As part of the strategic alliance, Hitachi will acquire convertible bonds with stock acquisition rights to be issued by Silver Spring.</p>
<p><b>Commonwealth Edison</b> contracted <b>Silver Spring Networks</b> to deploy its smart energy platform for a network of nearly 4 million customers and distribution automation devices under the state’s recently enacted <i>Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act</i>. ComEd’s 10-year plan aims to invest $2.6 billion in electric infrastructure, including smart grid technology. Technology deployments are subject to approval by the Illinois Commerce Commission.</p>
<h4>EVs &amp; Storage</h4>
<p><b>Green Charge Networks</b> selected battery manufacturer <b>Saft</b> to support its role in Con Edison’s $92 million smart grid demonstration project. Funded by a DOE grant, the project includes installation and operation of a network of storage and generation units that communicate directly with Con Edison. Green Charge Networks expects to install the units at several convenience stores, car rental locations, hotels, and parking garages in the New York City area. Saft will supply systems capable of storing about 1 MWh of electricity, utilizing its Synerion lithium-ion batteries. Installation was scheduled to begin in March.</p>
<p><b>Austin Energy</b> chose <b>VYCON</b> to install flywheel systems to provide 4.8 MW of energy storage capacity to support a new, 190,000 square-foot data center that Austin Energy uses to control its grid. The utility chose flywheels over battery-based uninterruptible power systems (UPS). For extended outages, the system will provide ride-through protection to transfer to a standby engine generator. The units feature a 20-year lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements.</p>
<p><b>National Grid</b> is installing more than 30 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Massachusetts. <b>Coulomb Technologies</b> will provide charging infrastructure at no cost, while National Grid pays for installation, and hosting partners bear the cost of electricity to charge vehicles. The stations are expected to be installed at Hanover Mall, the City of Worcester, the Town of Rockland, Quinsigamond Community College of Worcester, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and restaurant locations including 99 and Chili’s.</p>
<p><b>Intelligent Energy</b> and <b>Suzuki Motor</b> created a joint venture called <b>SMILE FC System Corp.</b> to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel cell systems for various applications. The venture gives Suzuki a non-exclusive license to Intelligent Energy’s technology for its next generation of fuel cell vehicles. Intelligent Energy will benefit from Suzuki’s production expertise and access to the Japanese supply chain for system development and manufacturing.</p>
<p>The <b>General Services Administration</b> (GSA) awarded a contract to <b>Siemens</b> to provide 20 EV charging stations to the U.S. government. Community Level-2 stations will be deployed at Veterans Affairs facilities in California and Michigan, with services delivered via the ChargePoint Network.</p>
<h4>T&amp;D</h4>
<p><b>American Transmission Co. (ATC)</b> awarded a $90 million order to <b>ABB</b> to design, supply and install a 200-MW back-to-back HVDC-light (high-voltage direct current) converter station in Michigan. The system is intended to control power flows between the state’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, and provide dynamic voltage support. ATC hopes the project will support regional grid reliability and enable integrating additional wind generation. The link is scheduled to begin operating in mid-2014.</p>
<p><b>ATC</b> and <b>Minnesota Power</b> formed a partnership to study transmission development options for moving Midwestern wind energy and Canadian hydro power into Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The companies proposed 50-mile, double-circuit, 345-kilovolt transmission line from the Mesabi iron range to their jointly owned Arrowhead substation in Duluth, Minn., to begin service around the year 2020. In addition, ATC and Minnesota Power are studying transmission options connecting the Arrowhead substation to destinations in Wisconsin and Michigan, under development terms still to be determined. The companies previously worked together on the 220-mile, 345-kV Arrowhead-Weston transmission line from Duluth to Wausau, Wisc., which was energized in 2008.</p>
<p><b>Harris Corp.</b> released the new Momentum digital mobile radio system. The product targets utilities and other organizations that are working to meet the FCC’s deadline for transitioning to narrow-banding communications systems. The system communicates in both analog and digital signals, and includes several new features, including the capability to operate as a desktop control station.</p>
<h4>Natural Gas</h4>
<p><b>NiSource Gas Transmission &amp; Storage</b> launched a midstream natural gas project in eastern Ohio, including a 90-mile, large-diameter gathering system located along Columbia Gas rights of way, and a cryogenic gas-liquids processing plant to be delivered in July 2012. The system, with an initial capacity of 200 million cubic feet per day, will deliver gas to multiple interconnects including Texas Eastern (operated by Spectra Energy), Rocky Mountain Express (Kinder Morgan), and Columbia Gas. </p>
<p><b>3M</b> and <b>Chesapeake Energy</b> agreed to collaborate in designing, manufacturing, and marketing compressed natural gas (CNG) tanks for use in the U.S. transportation market. Chesapeake pledged an initial $10 million toward design and certification services and market development support, and committed to use the new tanks for its corporate fleet conversion to CNG. 3M engaged Hypercomp Engineering of Utah for the design and certification of tanks, and will focus its capital on operations and manufacturing. 3M expects to begin selling the tanks in the fourth quarter of 2012.</p>
<h4>Transactions</h4>
<p><b>Fortis Inc.</b>, the largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada, agreed to acquire CH Energy Group of New York for $1.5 billion, including $500 million of assumed debt. Subject to approvals by shareholders and regulators, the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2013. CH Energy, parent company of Central Hudson Gas &amp; Electric, is expected to remain a standalone utility with headquarters in Poughkeepsie. Lazard served as CH Energy Group’s financial advisor, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen &amp; Katz served as the company’s legal advisor.</p>
<p><b>LS Power</b> completed financing and authorized construction of the $550 million Arlington Valley Solar Energy II project, a 127-MW (AC) PV facility on more than 1,100 acres of land near Arlington, Ariz. Beginning in 2013, the project is expected to begin selling its output to San Diego Gas &amp; Electric under a long-term agreement. LS Power contracted Fluor Corp. to engineer, procure, and construct the project and provide operation and maintenance services. Financing was structured with two tranches, combining a long-term institutional financing led by Prudential Capital Group with a shorter-term bank financing led by Banco Santander. GE Energy Financial Services is participating as an equity partner.</p>
<p><b>El Paso Corp.</b> agreed to sell its exploration and production business, EP Energy, for about $7.15 billion to private equity firms led by Apollo Global Management and Riverstone Holdings, with investment from Access Industries and others. The sale was contemplated in Kinder Morgan’s previously announced agreement to acquire El Paso Corp., and is contingent upon completion of the Kinder Morgan deal. Kinder Morgan expects to use the proceeds from selling EP Energy to pay down debt it raised to finance the El Paso purchase. Both transactions are expected to close in the second quarter of 2012.</p>
<p><b>Capital Dynamics AG</b> acquired a 5.7-MW solar energy project located in Massachusetts, from an undisclosed owner. The project is expected to use more than 20,000 solar modules, and sell power to three municipal utilities under 20-year net-metering agreements. Construction is expected to be completed this summer.</p>
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<a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aep">AEP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-electric-power">American Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-recovery-and-reinvestment-act">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-transmission">American Transmission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-transmission-co">American Transmission Co.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/areva">Areva</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/arrowhead-weston">Arrowhead-Weston</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/atc">ATC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/austin-energy">Austin Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/banco-santander">Banco Santander</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bc">BC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ch-energy-group">CH Energy Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/chargepoint">ChargePoint</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/chesapeake-energy">Chesapeake Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/china">China</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/comed">ComEd</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/commission">Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/con-edison">Con Edison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/coulomb">Coulomb</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/coulomb-technologies">Coulomb Technologies</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dc">DC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/department-energy">Department of Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/doe">DOE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a 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Energy Financial</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ge-energy-financial-services">GE Energy Financial Services</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/grid-reliability">grid reliability</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/harris-corp">Harris Corp.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/hawaiian-electric">Hawaiian Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/hawaiian-electric-co">Hawaiian Electric Co</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/hvdc">HVDC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/iec">IEC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/illinois-commerce-commission">Illinois Commerce Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/infrastructure">Infrastructure</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/installation">Installation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ls-power">LS Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/microsoft">Microsoft</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midamerican">MidAmerican</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midamerican-energy">MidAmerican Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/minnesota-power">Minnesota Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/national-grid">National Grid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/network">Network</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nisource">NiSource</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nuclear">Nuclear</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/oracle">Oracle</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pv">PV</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/recovery">Recovery</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/riverstone-holdings">Riverstone Holdings</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens-energy">Siemens Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/silver-spring-networks-0">Silver Spring Networks</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar">Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/storage">storage</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/technology">Technology</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/transmission">Transmission</a> </div>
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Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000puradmin13406 at https://www.fortnightly.comVendor Neutralhttps://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2012/03/vendor-neutral
<div class="field field-name-field-import-category field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Vendor Neutral</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - March 2012</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1203-VENpic1.jpg" width="1058" height="678" alt="URS signed a $157 million contract to install scrubbers at DTE’s Monroe power plant." title="URS signed a $157 million contract to install scrubbers at DTE’s Monroe power plant." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1203-VENpic2.jpg" width="1500" height="1023" alt="Trina Solar’s new 60-cell PV module reportedly set a world record for peak output from a multi-crystalline power module." title="Trina Solar’s new 60-cell PV module reportedly set a world record for peak output from a multi-crystalline power module." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1203-VENpic3.jpg" width="600" height="398" alt="AREVA Solar is installing a 5 MW ‘solar boost’ project at a Tucson Electric power plant." title="AREVA Solar is installing a 5 MW ‘solar boost’ project at a Tucson Electric power plant." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1203-VENpic4.jpg" width="1477" height="1499" alt="Black Hills Power is using Sixnet cellular routers for its advanced metering project." title="Black Hills Power is using Sixnet cellular routers for its advanced metering project." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1203-VENpic5.jpg" width="222" height="635" alt="Eaton and Coulomb Technologies agreed to expand the North American footprint of EV charging stations. Eaton’s Level II and DC quick-charging stations can now connect to Coulomb’s ChargePoint network of independently owned charging stations. " title="Eaton and Coulomb Technologies agreed to expand the North American footprint of EV charging stations. Eaton’s Level II and DC quick-charging stations can now connect to Coulomb’s ChargePoint network of independently owned charging stations. " /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1203-VENpic6.jpg" width="828" height="354" alt="ABB, 4R Energy, and Sumitomo are testing batteries from the Nissan LEAF for re-use in energy storage applications." title="ABB, 4R Energy, and Sumitomo are testing batteries from the Nissan LEAF for re-use in energy storage applications." /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4><b>Generation</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>DTE Energy</b></span> awarded a contract to <span class="s1"><b>URS</b></span> to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the installation of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system at its Monroe power plant in Michigan. The three-year contract is worth $157 million to URS. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>MidAmerican Energy Holdings</b></span> established a new business to support the company’s move into the unregulated renewables market. <span class="s1"><b>MidAmerican Renewables LLC</b></span>, based in Des Moines, Iowa, will oversee wind, geothermal, solar, and hydro projects, and provide commercial management services. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Delmarva Power</b></span> agreed to purchase 38 MW of wind energy and associated renewable energy credits from the recently completed Chestnut Flats wind facility in south-central Pennsylvania. The facility is owned by EDF subsidiary <span class="s1"><b>enXco</b></span>. The project is comprised of 19 Gamesa wind turbines, each having 2 MW of rated capacity. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>OG&amp;E</b></span> completed the Crossroads wind farm in northwestern Oklahoma. The project was a partnership between <span class="s1"><b>OG&amp;E</b></span>, <span class="s1"><b>Siemens</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Renewable Energy Systems Americas</b></span>. The $451 million project adds 227.5 MW of renewable generating capacity to the OG&amp;E fleet, with 95 turbines rated at 2.3 MW each, plus three 3-MW, direct-drive turbines. The Crossroads wind farm is located in Dewey County near Canton, and connects with OG&amp;E’s Windspeed transmission line, which was energized in 2010 and delivers wind power across OG&amp;E’s 30,000 square-mile electric service area. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>SolarEdge Technologies</b></span> introduced a new line of single-phase solar inverters for the North American market. The inverters can be ordered with an extended operating temperature range of -40 to 140 degrees F, for residential and commercial installations. </p>
<p class="p3">A joint venture of <span class="s1"><b>KDC Solar</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Nugen Capital Management</b></span> began commercial operation of the second-largest roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar system in New Jersey at the White Rose Inc. warehouse in Carteret. The 4.88-MW solar system is designed to supply more than 60 percent of the electric power needs of the White Rose grocery warehouse site, which is owned by KTR Capital Partners. <span class="s1"><b>Solar Power Inc.</b></span> installed the system.</p>
<p class="p3">PV product manufacturer <span class="s1"><b>Trina Solar</b></span> began offering a service solution that includes design services, newly available 260-Watt modules, and installation of the Trinamount racking system. Laboratory tests, confirmed by TUV Rheinland in September 2011, demonstrated the Trina 60-cell module set a world record for multi-crystalline module power by reaching a 274-Watt peak. Trina claims that compared to industry standard 230-Watt modules, a typical flat rooftop system using comparably sized Trina modules could produce more than 18 percent more electricity per year from the same roof area.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><b>American Electric Power</b></span><span class="s3"> subsidiary </span><span class="s2"><b>Southwestern Electric Power Co.</b></span><span class="s3"> (SWEPCO) signed long-term power purchase agreements for a total of 358.65 MW of renewable energy from wind projects in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Together with a 49.2-MW agreement signed by the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, SWEPCO and its affiliates have exceeded the 400-MW renewable energy commitment that emerged from a recent settlement of legal issues involving the John W. Turk Jr. power plant. The agreements will more than quadruple SWEPCO’s wind energy portfolio. The new series of 20-year agreements includes: Three contracts totaling 201.25 MW from Canadian Hills Wind, owned by Apex Wind Energy Holdings and located in Canadian County, west of Oklahoma City; 79.6 MW from High Majestic Wind II, owned by NextEra Energy Resources and located in Carson and Potter Counties in the Texas Panhandle; 77.8 MW from Flat Ridge 2 Wind Energy, owned by BP Wind Energy and Sempra and located in Barber, Harper, Kingman and Sumner counties, southwest of Wichita, Kansas. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><b>AREVA Solar</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Tucson Electric Power</b></span> (TEP) partnered to build the Sundt Solar Boost Project at TEP’s H. Wilson Sundt generating station in Tuscon, Ariz. The solar boost project will use AREVA Solar’s compact linear Fresnel reflector (CLFR) solar steam generators to produce up to 5 MW of power during peak demand periods without added emissions. The project is part of TEP’s plan to expand its solar generating capacity to more than 200 MW by the end of 2014. Construction of the Sundt solar boost is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2012, and the project is expected to be operational by early 2013. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>T&amp;D</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>Electric Transmission Texas</b></span> (ETT) ordered more than $50 million worth of electrical equipment from ABB for a project to improve reliability, strengthen ETT’s existing transmission grid, and facilitate integrating wind power. The project, to be completed by 2013, is part of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) program, aimed at increasing the contribution of renewable energy in Texas by up to 18 GW, making it one of the world’s largest land-based wind initiatives. ABB will design, supply, install, and commission four static var compensators (SVCs) at two sites. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Potomac Electric Power</b></span> filed with the <span class="s1"><b>Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia</b></span> a formal notice of its intent to make major reliability improvements to the Buzzard Point substation. Pepco plans to increase the capacity of two underground transmission circuits between the Buzzard Point station in southwest Washington, D.C., and Pepco’s Ritchie substation in Seat Pleasant, Md. Pepco says the upgrades are needed to support reliability and to address the capacity projections of the regional electric grid operator, <span class="s1"><b>PJM Interconnection</b></span>. Pepco proposes to begin construction in the fall of 2012 with completion expected in late spring 2014. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>PECO</b></span> completed building the new 230 kV Peltz substation in Philadelphia. Construction of the $60 million substation began in December 2009. Its completion allows PECO to retire the Schuylkill substation, which entered service in 1906. In addition to three new transformers serving 32 local circuits, the project included 100,000 feet of underground cable, 60 manholes, and 25 pieces of new underground equipment designed to minimize the number of customers affected if an outage occurs.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Survalent Technology</b></span> commissioned a new SCADA system for <span class="s1"><b>Swisher Electric Cooperative</b></span> in Tulia, Texas. </p>
<h4 class="p4"><b>Transactions</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>American Electric Power</b></span> (AEP) agreed to acquire <span class="s1"><b>BlueStar Energy Holdings</b></span> and its independent retail electric supplier <span class="s1"><b>BlueStar Energy Solutions</b></span>. Terms weren’t disclosed. The transaction is expected to close by the end of March, pending federal regulatory approvals. BlueStar’s operations will continue to be based in Chicago, providing retail electric services for residential, commercial, and industrial customers in deregulated states, as well as demand response and energy efficiency services nationwide.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Carlyle Energy Mezzanine Opportunities Group</b></span> provided construction financing for the $225 million Plainfield biomass project. <span class="s1"><b>Science Applications International Corp.</b></span> (SAIC) is building the project under fixed-price, date-certain, engineering, procurement, and construction services contract. The wood waste-fired project is owned by a subsidiary of <span class="s1"><b>Enova Energy Group</b></span> and located on a 27-acre site in Plainfield, Conn. The project will generate 37.5 MW (net) and will consume wood readily available from various sources such as construction and demolition debris, recycled wood pallets, and land-clearing materials. <span class="s1"><b>Connecticut Light &amp; Power</b></span> will purchase the plant’s output under a 15-year off-take agreement. Enova says it has secured all necessary permits and anticipates completion in December 2013.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Exelon</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Constellation</b></span> reached an agreement with <span class="s1"><b>Electricite de France</b></span> (EDF) under which EDF will withdraw its opposition to the Exelon-Constellation merger. The terms address Constellation Energy Nuclear Group (CENG), a joint venture between Constellation and EDF that owns and operates three nuclear facilities with five generating units in Maryland and New York. The agreement reaffirms the terms of the joint venture. No payment was made by either party associated with the agreement. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>Energy Services</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3">Through a joint marketing and development alliance, </span><span class="s2"><b>Dominion</b></span><span class="s3"> and </span><span class="s2"><b>Lockheed Martin</b></span><span class="s3"> made available the Edge conservation voltage-management solution. The system provides energy savings through integrated planning, execution, and validation of grid-side energy efficiency management. Under the terms of the agreement, Dominion and Lockheed Martin will provide integration, software support, and maintenance services to smart grid technology partners, as well as end-user utility customers. In addition to working with Lockheed Martin, Dominion also expects to partner with </span><span class="s2"><b>Bridge Energy Group</b></span><span class="s3">, </span><span class="s2"><b>Elster</b></span><span class="s3">, </span><span class="s2"><b>Landis+Gyr</b></span><span class="s3">, and </span><span class="s2"><b>Silver Spring Networks</b></span><span class="s3"> to bring its products to market. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><b>Johnson Controls</b></span><span class="s3"> announced that a consortium led by its EnergyConnect business was selected to provide demand response services to reduce up to 100 MW of energy use during peak hours for utility customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Johnson Controls will lead the consortium to promote DR program participation for large business customers. A 2008 Pennsylvania law, Act 129, requires the state’s electric utilities with more than 100,000 customers to reduce electricity consumption by 3 percent and reduce system demand 4.5 percent during peak hours by May 31, 2013. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><b>PureSense Environmental</b></span> contracted <span class="s1"><b>Constellation Energy</b></span> to provide automated load response programs for its irrigation-management customers. Through this collaboration, eligible PureSense customers will have access to energy management tools and services, and Constellation can offer additional products to PureSense customers, including power, gas, efficiency, solar energy, and other renewables. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>Metering</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>Black Hills Power</b></span> is using <span class="s1"><b>Sixnet</b></span> IndustrialPro cellular routers to provide wireless backhaul connectivity for the company’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project. The project collects data over a 3G cellular network from smart meters at more than 69,000 customer sites. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>JEA</b></span> signed a five-year extension of its services agreement with <span class="s1"><b>Landis+Gyr</b></span> for management of the utility’s AMI network. The new agreement extends the contract from 2016 until 2021. Since 2001, Landis+Gyr has deployed, maintained, and operated JEA’s advanced metering network and provided data management services. The system collects daily metering data from 730,000 electric and water endpoints. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Wake Electric Membership Corp.</b></span> of Wake Forest, N.C., began implementing a Sensus FlexNet AMI system. It operates over a wireless network using licensed spectrum for two-way, dedicated communication to residential electric meters and power distribution assets. It will replace Wake Electric’s single-read drive-by system that has been in service for the past decade. Sensus will administer the network’s regional network interface (RNI) software as a hosted service. <span class="s1"><b>National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative</b></span> (NRTC) assisted Wake Electric in specifying and implementing the project, beginning with a pilot project of 225 meters in July 2011. Full network and meter deployment began in October 2011, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>eMeter</b></span> revealed the newest version of its eMeter EnergyIP information management platform. eMeter EnergyIP 7.5 improves upon the company’s meter data management (MDM) platform with new data collection and validation tools. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>People</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>Westinghouse Electric</b></span> president and CEO <span class="s1"><b>Aris S. Candris</b></span> will retire at the end of March, but will stay on as a senior advisor. <span class="s1"><b>Jim Ferland</b></span> will be appointed president and CEO, and <span class="s1"><b>Ricardo (Ric) Perez</b></span> will become president and COO. Ferland is president of the company’s Americas region, and Perez serves as president of operations. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Elster</b></span> CFO <span class="s1"><b>Christoph Schmidt-Wolf</b></span>, will leave the company at the end of March. He’ll be succeeded by <span class="s1"><b>Rainer Beaujean</b></span>, who spent the past five years as CFO and member of the management board of Demag Cranes AG. <span class="s1"><b>Elster</b></span> also named <span class="s1"><b>Mark Munday</b></span> to the new position of chief technology officer, and appointed <span class="s1"><b>Edward Myszka</b></span> as executive v.p. of electricity North America. Munday led the company’s North American electricity business for the past 11 years. Myszka was a member of the senior executive team at Comverge. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Xtreme Power</b></span> promoted current CTO <span class="s1"><b>Alan Gotcher</b></span> to the level of CEO. Former CEO and co-founder Carlos Coe will assume the role of board chairman to drive strategic development.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Bridge Energy Group</b></span> appointed <span class="s1"><b>David E. Olsson</b></span> as CEO. Most recently, Olsson was CEO of <span class="s1"><b>eneStream</b></span>, a management consulting firm.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>ECOtality</b></span> named <span class="s1"><b>Murray Jones</b></span> COO. Previously Jones was responsible for ABB’s EV infrastructure initiative in North America, and before that he spent 33 years with GE in its industrial and automotive businesses. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>EVs &amp; Storage</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>Eaton</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Coulomb Technologies</b></span> agreed to expand the North American footprint of EV charging stations. Eaton’s Level II and DC quick-charging stations can now connect to Coulomb’s ChargePoint network of independently owned charging stations. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Nissan North America</b></span> (NNA) and <span class="s1"><b>ABB</b></span>, along with <span class="s1"><b>4R Energy</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Sumitomo of America</b></span>, partnered to evaluate and test reusing lithium-ion batteries from the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle for residential and commercial applications, including energy storage and back-up power. The companies plan to develop a LEAF battery storage prototype with a capacity of at least 50 kWh, in an effort to determine the batteries’ suitability as a cost-effective energy storage solution.</p>
<p class="p3">A group of companies in the transportation and utility industries formed a coalition to design a large-scale EV demonstration project, aimed at creating a comprehensive national model for EV deployment. <span class="s4">The</span><span class="s5"><b> Electrification Leadership Council</b></span> (ELC) includes stakeholders throughout the EV supply chain who have expertise and resources to engage federal, state, regional and local agencies and coalitions, utility companies, vehicle manufacturers, and financial institutions to help overcome the barriers to EV deployment. ELC members include <span class="s1"><b>A123 Systems</b></span>, <span class="s1"><b>CODA Automotive</b></span>, <span class="s1"><b>Pacific Gas &amp; Electric</b></span>, <span class="s1"><b>ECOtality</b></span>, <span class="s1"><b>GE Capital</b></span>, FedEx Express, Hertz, Navistar, Auto-matiks, Azure Dynamics, large delivery service companies and vehicle manufacturers among other members, along with representatives from national, state and local agencies.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Efacec USA’s</b></span> QC50 DC fast charging station received ETL certification as EV charging equipment for both public and commercial use, in both wet and dry weather conditions. Depending on the vehicle, a complete charge using the QC50 takes roughly 30 minutes starting from a low battery state. It produces high power output while still maintaining top power factor, THD and efficiency ratings.</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>EV Connect</b></span> expanded its EV charging facilities in Santa Monica, Calif., with new stations at seven sites and numerous residences throughout the city. EV Connect is working on several state-funded infrastructure projects and has an exclusive agreement with <span class="s1"><b>Fisker Automotive</b></span> to install and maintain home charging stations for Fisker owners and dealerships throughout North America. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>Natural Gas</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>CenterPoint Energy Field Services</b></span> began initial routing activities for a proposed gas gathering and processing system in the Mississippi Lime area of north-central Oklahoma and south-central Kansas. The proposed White Eagle gathering system would include up to 300 miles of high-pressure gas gathering lines and up to 200 million cubic feet per day of processing capacity with amine treating and nitrogen removal, depending on customer requirements. The proposed system would interconnect to intrastate and interstate markets with natural gas liquids deliveries to the Medford Hub in Grant County, Okla. </p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1"><b>Pacific Gas &amp; Electric</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Picarro</b></span> demonstrated a car-mounted leak-detection device for natural gas pipelines. The Analyzer is designed to pick up trace amounts of natural gas in the atmosphere in real time. PG&amp;E initially ordered two of the devices and mounted them on electric vehicles to study the technology’s capabilities. The car-mounted systems will move slowly through neighborhoods and alert nearby crews if they detect a gas leak. </p>
<h4 class="p3"><b>Smart Grid</b></h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s5"><b>Honeywell</b></span><span class="s4"> and the </span><span class="s5"><b>Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area</b></span><span class="s4"> (TEDA) agreed to implement China’s first smart grid demand response (DR) project. The agreement also represents the official launch of the DR system pilot jointly sponsored by the United States and Chinese governments through the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP), which aims to develop a nationwide set of smart grid industry standards and regulations in China. Under the Honeywell-TEDA agreement, Honeywell will demonstrate its automated demand response (auto DR) technology at select facilities within the TEDA development area, including government and commercial facilities, and industrial plants. China has set a long-term goal of having a robust smart grid operational throughout the country by 2020. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s5"><b>ComEd</b></span><span class="s4"> filed with the </span><span class="s5"><b>Illinois Commerce Commission</b></span><span class="s4"> (ICC) its 10-year, $2.6 billion infrastructure investment plan. The utility plans to invest $1.3 billion to strengthen its electric system and another $1.3 billion to add smart grid and AMI technology. The filing also included the utility’s $233 million investment plan for 2012 and its plan for a smart grid test bed to provide entrepreneurs on-grid locations for testing technologies and services. ComEd expects to begin installing smart meters later this year, subject to ICC approval of its AMI deployment plan, with installations expected to continue through 2021. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s5"><b>S&amp;C Electric</b></span> and <span class="s1"><b>Alstom Grid</b></span> developed an integrated solution combining S&amp;C’s IntelliTeam SG automatic restoration system and Alstom Grid’s e-terradistribution integrated distribution management system (IDMS). The companies expect the combination to allow control room operators to access complete field data from S&amp;C’s IntelliTeam SG through Alstom’s IDMS.</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>Itron</b></span> released its first set of specialized analytic software applications built on the Active Smart Grid Analytics (ASA) platform. Designed to use Itron’s metering, communication network, and MDM systems, the analytic applications are expected to provide business intelligence to enable specific smart grid solutions for distribution operations, revenue cycle services, and customer engagement.</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>Silver Spring Networks</b></span> unveiled its new fourth-generation networking technology, Gen4, which the company says will extend its platform beyond RF mesh to include cellular communications. Gen4 will be available in access points, relays, bridges, meters, and a variety of other devices. </p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/td-grid">T&amp;D Grid</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/vendor-neutral">Vendor Neutral</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/4r-energy">4R Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/a123-systems">A123 Systems</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aep">AEP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/alan-gotcher">Alan Gotcher</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/alstom">Alstom</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/alstom-grid">Alstom Grid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-electric-power">American Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ami">AMI</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/analytics">Analytics</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/areva-solar">AREVA Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aris-s-candris">Aris S. Candris</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/black-hills-power">Black Hills Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bluestar-energy-holdings">BlueStar Energy Holdings</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bluestar-energy-solutions">BlueStar Energy Solutions</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bridge-energy-group">Bridge Energy Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/carlyle">Carlyle</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/carlyle-energy-mezzanine-opportunities-group">Carlyle Energy Mezzanine Opportunities Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ceng">CENG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/centerpoint-energy-0">CenterPoint Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/centerpoint-energy-field-services">CenterPoint Energy Field Services</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/chargepoint">ChargePoint</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/china">China</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/coda-automotive">CODA Automotive</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/comed">ComEd</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/commission">Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/comverge">Comverge</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constellat">Constellat</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constellation-energy-nuclear-group">Constellation Energy Nuclear Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/coulomb-technologies">Coulomb Technologies</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/crez">CREZ</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dc">DC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/delmarva-power">Delmarva Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dms">DMS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dr">DR</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dte-energy">DTE Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ecotality">ECOtality</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edf">EDF</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/efacec-usa">Efacec USA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electric-transmission-texas">Electric Transmission Texas</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electricite-de-france">Electricite de France</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electrification-leadership-council">Electrification Leadership Council</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/elster">Elster</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/emeter">eMeter</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/enestream">eneStream</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/enova-energy-group">Enova Energy Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/epc">EPC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ev">EV</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ev-connect">EV Connect</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/evs">EVs</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/exelon">Exelon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fisker-automotive">Fisker Automotive</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/flexnet-ami-system">FlexNet AMI system</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ge">GE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ge-capital">GE Capital</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/icc">ICC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/idms">IDMS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/illinois-commerce-commission">Illinois Commerce Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/interconnection">Interconnection</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/itron">Itron</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/jea">JEA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/jim-ferland">Jim Ferland</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/johnson-controls">Johnson Controls</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/kdc-solar">KDC Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/landisgyr">Landis+Gyr</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/leadership">Leadership</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lockheed">Lockheed</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lockheed-martin">Lockheed Martin</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mark-munday">Mark Munday</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mdm">MDM</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midamerican">MidAmerican</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midamerican-energy">MidAmerican Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midamerican-energy-holdings">MidAmerican Energy Holdings</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/midamerican-renewables-llc">MidAmerican Renewables LLC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/murray-jones">Murray Jones</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/national-rural-telecommunications-cooperative">National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/network">Network</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/new-jersey">New Jersey</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera">NextEra</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera-energy">NextEra Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera-energy-resources">NextEra Energy Resources</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nissan-leaf">Nissan LEAF</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nissan-north-america">Nissan North America</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nna">NNA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nrtc">NRTC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nuclear">Nuclear</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nugen-capital-management">Nugen Capital Management</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/peco">PECO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/picarro">Picarro</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pjm">PJM</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pjm-interconnection">PJM Interconnection</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/potomac-electric-power">Potomac Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/public-service-commission-district-columbia">Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/puresense-environmental">PureSense Environmental</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pv">PV</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/rainer-beaujean">Rainer Beaujean</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable">Renewable</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy-systems-americas">Renewable Energy Systems Americas</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/saic">SAIC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scada">SCADA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/science-applications-international-corp">Science Applications International Corp</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/science-applications-international-corp-0">Science Applications International Corp.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scr">SCR</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sempra">Sempra</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sensus">Sensus</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sensus-flexnet">Sensus FlexNet</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/silver-spring-networks-0">Silver Spring Networks</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sixnet">Sixnet</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar">Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar-power-inc">Solar Power Inc.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solaredge-technologies">SolarEdge Technologies</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southwestern-electric-power-co">Southwestern Electric Power Co.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/storage">storage</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sumitomo-america">Sumitomo of America</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/survalent-technology">Survalent Technology</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/svc">SVC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/swisher-electric-cooperative">Swisher Electric Cooperative</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/technology">Technology</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tep">TEP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/transmission">Transmission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/trina-solar">Trina Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tucson-electric-power">Tucson Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/urs">URS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/wake-electric-membership-corp">Wake Electric Membership Corp.</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/westinghouse-electric">Westinghouse Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/wind">Wind</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/xtreme-power">Xtreme Power</a> </div>
</div>
Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000puradmin13417 at https://www.fortnightly.comPeople (January 2012)https://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2012/01/people-january-2012
<div class="field field-name-field-import-category field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">People</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - January 2012</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span style="color:#b22222;"><strong>New Opportunities:</strong></span> <b>American Electric Power</b> named <b>Robert P. Powers</b> as executive v.p. and COO effective immediately. Powers previously was president of AEP Utilities. AEP also appointed <b>Mark J. James</b> v.p. of economic and business development. James founded consulting firm ED Solutions Inc., and served as its president and CEO. In addition, AEP named <b>Tracy A. Elich</b> v.p. of human resources. Elich was AEP’s managing director of corporate and field human resources.</p>
<p><b>Cleco</b> announced a new management structure. <b>George W. Bausewine</b>, president and COO of Cleco Power, will retire in February 2012. <b>R. Russell Davis</b>, formerly Cleco’s v.p. of investor relations and chief accounting officer, was promoted to senior v.p. of external relations and information technology. <b>Judy P. Miller</b>, formerly Cleco’s corporate secretary, has been promoted to senior v.p. of corporate services and internal audit. <b>Darren Olagues</b>, Cleco’s senior v.p. of finance and CFO, will temporarily serve as treasurer. </p>
<p><b>PPL</b> announced that <b>James H. Miller</b> will retire on March 31, 2012. Miller, 63, served as chairman, president and CEO of PPL from October 2006. He will continue to serve as chairman until his retirement. <b>William H. Spence</b>, PPL president and COO, was named CEO. Spence also was elected to PPL’s board of directors.</p>
<p><b>Northeast Utilities</b> announced executive changes at <b>Connecticut Light &amp; Power</b> (CL&amp;P). <b>James A. Muntz</b>, NU president of transmission, will serve as president and COO of CL&amp;P. He initially joined CL&amp;P as v.p. of customer operations. <b>William J. Quinlan</b> was named to the newly created position of v.p. of emergency preparedness. He was v.p. of customer solutions. <b>Dana Louth</b>, v.p. of asset strategy, was named to the new position of v.p. of infrastructure hardening, reporting to Quinlan.</p>
<p>The boards of directors of <b>IDACORP</b> and <b>Idaho Power</b> approved changes to executive positions, including appointing <b>Darrel T. Anderson</b>, formerly executive v.p. of administrative services and CFO, as president and CFO of Idaho Power. Idaho Power elected <b>Daniel B. Minor</b> to COO, and <b>Steven R. Keen</b> to senior v.p. of finance and treasurer.</p>
<p><b>Georgia Power</b> elected <b>Anthony Wilson</b> as executive v.p., customer service and operations. Wilson currently serves as v.p. of transmission. He will replace Mickey Brown who retired.</p>
<p><b>Southern Nuclear</b> hired <b>Bradley J. Adams</b> as v.p. of fleet operations support. Adams was plant manager at Exelon’s Byron Station since 2008.</p>
<p><b>Peabody Energy</b> named <b>Chris A. Shelton</b> as v.p. of applied technology. Previously Shelton was a consultant with Honeywell in Houston.</p>
<p><b>Conservation Services Group</b> (CSG) added two senior executives, <b>Cindy Johnson</b> and <b>Lisa M. Ludwig</b>. Cindy Johnson joined the firm as v.p. of marketing and communications. Previously she was an independent consultant. Lisa M. Ludwig was named v.p. of strategic initiatives, a newly created position at the company. She was v.p. of marketing and business development for Ambient Corp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><span style="color:#b22222;">Associations:</span> The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners</b> (NARUC) announced a new slate of officers and committee chairs. South Carolina Public Service Commissioner <b>David Wright</b> was named NARUC president. Other new officers include <b>Philip Jones</b> of Washington (first vice president); <b>Colette Honorable</b> of Arkansas (second vice president); and <b>David Ziegner</b> of Indiana (treasurer). Illinois Commerce Commissioner <b>Erin O’Connell-Diaz</b> was selected to lead the committee on electricity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><span style="color:#b22222;">Boards of Directors:</span> Tendril</b> elected <b>Tom McDaniel</b> as chairman of the board. McDaniel served as CEO of <b>Edison International</b> for 37 years and held management positions at Southern California Edison. He now serves as a director at SunPower.</p>
<p><i>We welcome submissions to People, especially those accompanied by a high-resolution color photograph. E-mail to: <a href="mailto:people@pur.com">people@pur.com</a>.</i></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/people">People</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/people">People</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-picture field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image Picture:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/article_images/1201/images/1201cvr.jpg" width="897" height="1200" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
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<a href="/tags/aep">AEP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-electric-power">American Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/anthony-wilson">Anthony Wilson</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bradley-j-adams">Bradley J. Adams</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/chris-shelton">Chris A. Shelton</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cindy-johnson">Cindy Johnson</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cleco">Cleco</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/colette-honorable">Colette Honorable</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/commission">Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/conservation">Conservation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/conservation-services-group">Conservation Services Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/csg">CSG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dana-louth">Dana Louth</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/darrel-t-anderson">Darrel T. Anderson</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/darren-olagues">Darren Olagues</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/david-wright">David Wright</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/david-ziegner">David Ziegner</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edison-international">Edison International</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/exelon">Exelon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/george-w-bausewine">George W. Bausewine</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/georgia-power">Georgia Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/idacorp">IDACORP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/idaho-power">Idaho Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/illinois-commerce-commission">Illinois Commerce Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/james-muntz">James A. Muntz</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/james-h-miller">James H. Miller</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/judy-p-miller">Judy P. Miller</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lisa-m-ludwig">Lisa M. Ludwig</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mark-j-james">Mark J. James</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/naruc">NARUC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/national-association-regulatory-utility-commissioners">National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northeast-utilities">Northeast Utilities</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nuclear">Nuclear</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/peabody-energy">Peabody Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/philip-jones">Philip Jones</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppl">PPL</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/r-russell-davis">R. Russell Davis</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/robert-p-powers">Robert P. Powers</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-california-edison">Southern California Edison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-nuclear">Southern Nuclear</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sunpower">SunPower</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tendril">Tendril</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tom-mcdaniel">Tom McDaniel</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tracy-elich">Tracy A. Elich</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/william-h-spence">William H. Spence</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/william-j-quinlan">William J. Quinlan</a> </div>
</div>
Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000puradmin13429 at https://www.fortnightly.comVendor Neutralhttps://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2011/11/vendor-neutral
<div class="field field-name-field-import-category field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Vendor Neutral</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - November 2011</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1111-VENpic1.jpg" width="1500" height="750" alt="GE unveiled the new 50-MW FlexAero LM6000-PH gas turbine." title="GE unveiled the new 50-MW FlexAero LM6000-PH gas turbine." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1111-VENpic2.jpg" width="757" height="471" alt="Lockheed Martin and OPT are collaborating on wave power technology and projects." title="Lockheed Martin and OPT are collaborating on wave power technology and projects." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1111-VENpic3.jpg" width="1500" height="1001" alt="Kemper Solar redesigned its KemTrack solar array tracking system." title="Kemper Solar redesigned its KemTrack solar array tracking system." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1111-VENpic4.jpg" width="1123" height="749" alt="Progress Energy Carolinas installed Level-2 electric vehicle charging systems for 150 residential customers, with support from a DOE smart grid grant. " title="Progress Energy Carolinas installed Level-2 electric vehicle charging systems for 150 residential customers, with support from a DOE smart grid grant. " /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4>Generation</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">GE</span> unveiled a new 50-MW aeroderivative gas turbine, the FlexAero LM6000-PH, and also the FlexEfficiency 50 combined cycle power plant, a 510-MW load-following plant design using the new turbine. Both products are intended to enable the integration of more renewable resources into the power grid, with fast startup and ramp rates and the ability to turn down to 40 percent load without exceeding air emissions limits. The company also announced that it received more than $1 billion in orders for heavy duty and aeroderivative gas turbines for projects throughout North America since year-end 2010.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Hitachi Power Systems America</span> won a contract from <span class="boldred">Westar Energy</span> for the design and supply of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, including Hitachi’s proprietary catalyst, for Westar’s Jeffrey Energy Center, Unit 1, located near St. Marys, Kan. The 800 MW coal-fired unit burns Powder River Basin coal.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Westinghouse Electric Company</span> was awarded a contract valued at $35 million to install replacement reactor vessel heads and to provide associated services for Axpo AG’s Beznau nuclear power plant, a 730 MW, two-unit nuclear plant in Dottingen, Switzerland. The installations are scheduled to occur during the plant’s 2014 spring (Unit 1) and fall (Unit 2) outages. Preliminary work is under way. Under contract terms, Westinghouse will create a temporary opening in each unit’s concrete and steel containment using plasma cutting. The old heads will be removed from the reactor vessels and transferred from containment into the on-site radioactive waste intermediate storage building. The new heads then will be installed. The removal and installation are expected to be completed in fewer than 40 days per unit.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Constellation Energy’s</span> retail energy business affiliate began construction on a $60 million, 16.1-MW DC grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) solar installation in Emmitsburg, Md. Electricity produced by the system will be purchased by the state of Maryland’s Department of General Services and the University System of Maryland under 20-year power purchase agreements. The ground-mounted installation will be comprised of approximately 220,000 thin film PV panels on 100 acres of land leased from Mount St. Mary’s University. In addition to the 16.1-MW system, Constellation is developing a 1.3-MW solar power system on the site to supply power directly to the university. First Solar is providing PV technology as well as engineering, procurement and construction services for the project.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Lockheed Martin</span> will provide design, manufacturing, system integration and supply chain management expertise to enhance <span class="boldred">OPT’s</span> PowerBuoy technology. This collaboration follows a $2.4 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to OPT as part of initiatives announced in September 2010 to promote the development of renewable marine energy.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">OPT</span> and <span class="boldred">Lockheed Martin</span> collaborated on OPT’s proposed commercial-scale wave power generation project at Reedsport, Ore. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="boldred">Duke Energy Renewables</span> announced plans to build, own and operate the 202-MW Los Vientos II wind power project in Texas, and to sell the electricity and renewable energy credits it generates to <span class="boldred">Austin Energy</span> through a 25-year agreement. Construction is expected to begin by December with startup by the end of 2012. Los Vientos II is the second phase of a 402-MW project. The 200-MW Los Vientos I is also expected to achieve commercial operation by the end of 2012, generating power for San Antonio-based CPS Energy under a 25-year agreement.</p>
<h4> </h4>
<p>The <span class="boldred">Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)</span> was selected for a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to deploy and test the Alden hydroelectric turbine designed to reduce fish mortality during power production. The Alden turbine is designed to provide for safer passage of downstream migrating fish, potentially minimizing or avoiding non-generating spill over dams, through-fish bypasses, and downstream fish passage facilities. The design might also provide additional options for generating capacity and recovery of energy lost in minimum flow releases.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Kemper Solar</span> unveiled a redesigned solar tracking system, KemTrack. The 70 to 125 square-meter dual-axis tracker solar tracking system is designed with a central support tube with an integrated elevation drive that Kemper says optimizes force distribution across the entire module surface. Based in Germany, Kemper has a U.S. affiliate in Alpharetta, Ga.</p>
<h4>Metering</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">City of Fort Collins Utilities</span> selected <span class="boldred">Elster</span>, <span class="boldred">Siemens Energy</span>, <span class="boldred">eMeter</span> and <span class="boldred">Tropos GridCom</span> to provide systems for its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project, funded by the <i>American Recovery and Reinvestment Act</i>. Elster is supplying the Elster EnergyAxis AMI system. Siemens is implementing an eMeter EnergyIP meter data management system (MDMS) and integrating it with Fort Collins Utilities’ customer information systems, and Tropos GridCom is providing communications infrastructure, providing AMI data backhaul and future aggregation of smart grid applications across the utilities’ service territory. Fort Collins Utilities plans to migrate all its electricity and water customers to AMI over the next two years.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Consumers Energy</span> selected <span class="boldred">SmartSynch</span> to provide the advanced metering system that will form the foundation of a grid and meter modernization program for its 1.8 million electric customers in Michigan. Meter installation is scheduled to begin in Muskegon County in August 2012 with installation phases continuing through 2019 across the utility’s service territory.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">eMeter</span> completed the integration of its eMeter EnergyIP platform with <span class="boldred">CPS Energy’s</span> SAP IS-U EhP5 system. This integration enables CPS Energy to provide customers with real-time energy usage information and enhanced metering services. CPS Energy now provides 40,000 of its customers with 15 minute, hourly and daily energy consumption information through its new web portal. Additional future services include time-of-use rate plans and demand response programs. CPS Energy plans to replace all electric meters and retrofit gas meters with smart meters by the end of 2016.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">SAP AG</span> announced two new solutions built on SAP HANA, the company’s in-memory computing platform. The two new solutions are SAP smart meter analytics and SAP COPA Accelerator. SAP COPA Accelerator software aims to improve the speed and depth of working with large volumes of financial data. SAP says its HANA platform allows companies to quickly run complex analyses such as simulations and pattern recognition.</p>
<h4>Customer Systems</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">GMC Software Technology</span>, a provider of customer communications and output management software, launched GMC Inspire, a customer engagement system. The system is designed to streamline and advance the creation and delivery of marketing, transactional and operational communications, including content management capabilities for highly regulated industries to ensure compliance across communications.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Tendril</span> partnered with <span class="boldred">ecobee</span> to integrate ecobee’s smart thermostat on Tendril’s energy platform, Tendril Connect. Utilities and energy service providers that have deployed Tendril Connect can now install ecobee’s smart thermostat at their customers’ locations. Tendril also formalized an integration and reseller agreement that will integrate the Tendril Connect cloud platform with <span class="boldred">Elster’s</span> EnergyAxis smart grid system. With this agreement, Tendril says its platform now works with all of the top AMI communications suppliers, namely Elster, <span class="boldred">Itron</span>, <span class="boldred">Landis + Gyr</span>, <span class="boldred">Sensus</span> and <span class="boldred">Silver Spring Networks</span>.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Simple Energy</span> is utilizing <span class="boldred">Tendril’s Connect</span> to deliver an energy application that helps consumers save energy through an online game. <span class="boldred">San Diego Gas &amp; Electric</span> is using Simple Energy’s application, delivered on the Tendril Connect platform, as part of the utility’s Biggest Energy Saver campaign. Simple Energy uses a social gaming platform to engage consumers in saving energy on the mobile and social web.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Honeywell</span> and <span class="boldred">Opower</span> are jointly developing energy management tools to help utility consumers cut their energy use and expenses. The companies will combine Honeywell’s residential automation and control systems with Opower’s energy data analytics and customer engagement techniques. Honeywell and Opower plan to launch a platform that includes a Web-connected programmable thermostat. Utility customers will be able to access their energy use data from a Web portal or mobile application, and the technology will suggest and automatically implement cost-saving changes. The companies plan to pilot the new product with select utility clients over the next few months.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Energate</span> will supply its smart thermostats for Oklahoma Gas &amp; Electric’s 2012 residential demand response program through its partner, Silver Spring Networks. Energate’s in-home technologies allow consumers to program their use preferences and participate in utility demand response programs based on peak pricing signals. OG&amp;E’s 2012 expansion is targeted to include up to 40,000 residences using Energate’s smart thermostat and accessories.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Elster</span> announced that its new meter and radio platform, the REXUniversal meter, is expected to be commercially available in North America in the second quarter of 2012. The platform allows EnergyAxis and other smart grid vendors’ 900 MHz radio frequency mesh communication systems to run natively on the identical REXUniversal meter hardware with integrated communications. Elster says the system is designed to simplify updates to local area network (LAN) communication functionality by eliminating the need to remove meters and physically replace the communications board to accomplish a system-wide network change.</p>
<h4>Transactions</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">Direct Energy</span> agreed to acquire Texas-based electricity provider <span class="boldred">First Choice Power</span>, a subsidiary of PNM Resources, for $270 million in cash plus additional working capital. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, First Choice Power supplies retail electricity to residential and commercial customers across Texas.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Pattern Energy Group</span> partnered with <span class="boldred">Samsung Renewable Energy</span> to acquire the 180-MW Armow wind power project in Ontario from Acciona. Located in the Township of Kincardine, the project will use wind turbine components from the new Siemens factories in Tillsonburg and Windsor, Ontario. The project is expected to begin construction in 2013 and be completed in 2014. Pattern and Samsung signed power purchase agreements with the <span class="boldred">Ontario Power Authority (OPA) </span>for the Armow project and three additional wind power projects under development in Ontario. The four wind projects will provide a total of 870 MW. The other three projects in Ontario are the 270-MW South Kent project under development in Chatham-Kent, the 270-MW K2 project in the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, and 150 MW from the Grand Renewable Energy Park, a wind and solar power project under development in Haldimand County.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">NextEra Energy Resources</span> entered an agreement to sell its ownership interest in a portfolio of gas-fired generating assets to an affiliate of <span class="boldred">LS Power</span> for $1.05 billion, subject to working capital and other adjustments. The transaction includes the 507-MW Blythe Energy Center, located in Blythe, Calif.; the 668-MW Calhoun Energy Center, located in Eastaboga, Ala.; the 98-MW Cherokee Energy Center, located in Gaffney, S.C.; and the 879-MW Doswell Energy Center located in Ashland, Va. A NextEra Energy Resources’ affiliate will continue to operate three of the facilities under service contracts. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2011, pending necessary approvals. NextEra expects the transaction to result in net cash proceeds of approximately $500 million after the repayment of debt and transaction costs, and a taxable gain, which is expected to be largely offset by deferred tax assets. The transaction will also result in a one-time after-tax charge of approximately $97 million, which the company expects to exclude from adjusted earnings.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">GE</span> completed its $3.2 billion acquisition of <span class="boldred">Converteam</span>, a provider of power conversion and automation systems and power electronics, motors and generators. The Converteam purchase completes $11 billion in recent acquisitions by GE Energy, including the acquisition of Dresser, Wellstream Holdings, Lineage Power, Well Support (from John Wood Group), and Converteam. </p>
<p><span class="boldred">First Solar</span> received $455.7 million of loan guarantees from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to build power projects in Canada. The company plans to build two plants with a total capacity of 90 MW in southern Ontario. The guarantee is the largest Ex-Im Bank has approved for U.S. solar products shipped abroad. Ex-Im Bank will guarantee a loan of $236.7 million for a 50-MW plant that First Solar is planning in the southern Ontario townships of Amherstburg, Belmont and Walpole, and another loan of $219 million for a 40-MW project in St. Clair. The debt is expected to be repaid over 18 years.</p>
<h4>Smart Grid</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">Survalent Technology</span> commissioned a new SCADA system for Jackson Municipal Electric Department, which supplies electricity to more than 4,000 customers in the city of Jackson, Ohio. In addition to a group applications for distribution automation and monitoring, the system also included station controllers and database and graphics for five substations.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Open Systems International (OSI) </span>was selected by <span class="boldred">Santee Cooper</span> to upgrade and replace its SCADA/EMS system with a new system based on OSI’s monarch (multi-platform open network architecture) platform.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Eastern Nebraska Public Power District Consortium (ENPPDC)</span>, with the support of Boreas Group LLC, selected <span class="boldred">ABB</span> to implement an advanced smart grid-based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and distribution automation system to monitor and control two electrical systems in Cuming County Public Power District and Stanton County Public Power District. The public power utilities expect the system to reduce outages, improve grid reliability, and save energy and costs. ABB is providing SCADA software, a communication gateway for substations, wireless sensors and other distribution technologies, as well as project oversight. ABB is subcontracting on this project with <span class="boldred">RuggedCom</span> to deploy a wireless-enabled communications infrastructure.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Siemens</span> is implementing coordination of two New York State sites, <span class="boldred">Rochester Gas &amp; Electric (RGE)</span> and <span class="boldred">New York State Electric &amp; Gas (NYSEG)</span>, into a single system with the <span class="boldred">Spectrum Power</span> energy management system (EMS). The client is Iberdrola, parent company of NYSEG and RGE. The project is scheduled to ship and install in 2013. The NYSEG and RGE models will be combined into a single network model as part of the project. Spectrum Power is a message-based SCADA platform, with application functionality (such as network analysis and historical archiving) provided by separate components.</p>
<h4>EVs &amp; Storage</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">Progress Energy Carolinas</span> provided 150 residential customers with plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging equipment as part of a new research project to help Progress Energy better understand the impact of PEVs on the electric utility system. The program is funded through an <i>ARRA</i> smart grid grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The grant will cover up to $1,500 of the equipment and construction costs of installing a Level 2 charging station at a customer’s home. Progress Energy Carolinas will own and maintain the charging equipment for the duration of the research project, which is expected to end in April 2013.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">EnerSys</span> launched a joint venture in Germany to produce large format lithium-ion battery cells. EnerSys will have a majority interest in the joint venture in cooperation with GAIA Akkumulatorenwerke (GAIA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lithium Technology Corp. (LTC). LTC is bringing intellectual property and lithium-ion manufacturing capabilities located in Nordhausen, Germany. The joint venture will expand an existing distribution agreement between the two companies. The new joint venture company expects to develop and produce lithium-ion based battery systems for space, naval, marine, renewable energy and specialty high power applications for EnerSys, and will provide certain products to LTC for customers in the transportation sector.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">AEP Ohio</span> began installing a PureWave community energy storage (CES) system from <span class="boldred">S&amp;C Electric</span>. AEP says the lithium-ion-based CES system is the first of its kind to be installed at customer homes, providing up to several hours of backup power during a power outage for customers who are connected to the CES unit. Sensing technology present in each CES unit recognizes when a home served by that unit loses electric power. When a power outage occurs, the CES battery automatically begins providing power to the home via a transfer process that should occur without any impact on electric power quality. When AEP Ohio restores power to the affected homes, customers are transferred from the battery unit back to the electric grid. S&amp;C’s IntelliTeam distributed energy management (DEM) system will control and dispatch all 80 CES units planned for this project, allowing them to function as a virtual power plant.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">S&amp;C Electric</span> also deployed a 750-kW PureWave storage management system to <span class="boldred">PNM Resources</span>. The system, installed in Albuquerque, N.M., uses storage batteries to mitigate potential variations in solar generation, to support grid reliability and stability. The system also allows stored solar energy to be dispatched at times of peak demand.</p>
<h4>People</h4>
<p><span class="boldred">Babcock &amp; Wilcox</span> named <span class="boldred">Thomas A. Christopher</span> to its board of directors. Christopher was most recently vice chairman of Areva NP, and from 2000 to 2009, he served as its president and CEO.</p>
<p><span class="boldred">Energate</span> appointed <span class="boldred">Debbie Rachlis</span> as its new v.p. of sales, reporting to Energate CEO Niraj Bhargava. Before joining Energate, Ms. Rachlis was a vice president at Aclara.</p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/generation-markets">Generation &amp; Markets</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/td-grid">T&amp;D Grid</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/finance">Finance</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/vendor-neutral">Vendor Neutral</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
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<a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/acciona">Acciona</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aep">AEP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aep-ohio">AEP Ohio</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-recovery-and-reinvestment-act">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ami">AMI</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/areva">Areva</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/arra">ARRA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/austin-energy">Austin Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/blythe">Blythe</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ces">CES</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/city-fort-collins">City of Fort Collins</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constellat">Constellat</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constellation">Constellation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constellation-energy">Constellation Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/consumers-energy">Consumers Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/converteam">Converteam</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cps-energy">CPS Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dc">DC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/debbie-rachlis">Debbie Rachlis</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/department-energy">Department of Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/direct-energy">Direct Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dms">DMS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/doe">DOE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke-energy">Duke Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke-energy-renewables">Duke Energy Renewables</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a 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href="/tags/itron">Itron</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/kemper-solar">Kemper Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/landis-gyr-0">Landis + Gyr</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lockheed">Lockheed</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lockheed-martin">Lockheed Martin</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ls-power">LS Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mdm">MDM</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mdms">MDMS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nebraska-public-power-district">Nebraska Public Power District</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/network">Network</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera">NextEra</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera-energy">NextEra Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera-energy-resources">NextEra Energy Resources</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a 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href="/tags/pv">PV</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/recovery">Recovery</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable">Renewable</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ruggedcom">RuggedCom</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/samsung-renewable-energy">Samsung Renewable Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/santee-cooper">Santee Cooper</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sap-ag">SAP AG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scada">SCADA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scr">SCR</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sensus">Sensus</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens-energy">Siemens Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/silver-spring-networks-0">Silver Spring Networks</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/smartsynch">SmartSynch</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar">Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/spectrum-power">Spectrum Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/storage">storage</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/survalent-technology">Survalent Technology</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/technology">Technology</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tendril">Tendril</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tropos-gridcom">Tropos GridCom</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/us-department-energy">U.S. Department of Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/us-department-energy-doe">U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/westinghouse-electric">Westinghouse Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/westinghouse-electric-company">Westinghouse Electric Company</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/wind">Wind</a> </div>
</div>
Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000puradmin13508 at https://www.fortnightly.comGrowing Painshttps://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2011/06/growing-pains
<div class="field field-name-field-import-deck field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Deck:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Utilities work toward a more mature relationship with customers.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-byline field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Byline:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Steven Andersen</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-bio field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Author Bio:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><b>Steven Andersen</b> is <i>Fortnightly’s</i> contributing editor, based in New York.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - June 2011</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1106-FEA1-pic1.jpg" width="1391" height="988" alt="“We could have as many as 200,000 EVs in our service territory by 2020,” says Karl Rabago of Austin Energy. “That requires some serious grown-up planning. We’ll have a lot of issues for the grid, even before we reach those big numbers.”" title="“We could have as many as 200,000 EVs in our service territory by 2020,” says Karl Rabago of Austin Energy. “That requires some serious grown-up planning. We’ll have a lot of issues for the grid, even before we reach those big numbers.”" /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1106-FEA1-pic2.jpg" width="401" height="601" alt="“We could have as many as 200,000 EVs in our service territory by 2020,” says Karl Rabago of Austin Energy. “That requires some serious grown-up planning. We’ll have a lot of issues for the grid, even before we reach those big numbers.”" title="“We could have as many as 200,000 EVs in our service territory by 2020,” says Karl Rabago of Austin Energy. “That requires some serious grown-up planning. We’ll have a lot of issues for the grid, even before we reach those big numbers.”" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1106-FEA1-pic3.jpg" width="1379" height="775" alt="As part of Southern California Edison’s SmartConnect program, the utility produced videos featuring talking houses, Carl and Eddy, who explain changes in metering and billing. “They have a non-threatening, really positive impact, because you can’t help but like them,” says Ken Devore, director of SCE’s SmartConnect program." title="As part of Southern California Edison’s SmartConnect program, the utility produced videos featuring talking houses, Carl and Eddy, who explain changes in metering and billing. “They have a non-threatening, really positive impact, because you can’t help but like them,” says Ken Devore, director of SCE’s SmartConnect program." /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The observation that utilities don’t excel at consumer engagement is getting to be an old chestnut. It’s all too easy to paint them as being behind the times, out of touch, stodgy even. That might be true in many ways, of course, but is it only half the picture? What if the Customer—that mythical character who’s supposedly always right—isn’t exactly playing on the level? What it the customer is in fact a little bit crazy?</p>
<p>Customers demand perfection when it comes to cost and reliability. Beyond that, they don’t want to know much. They respect utilities as the authority on electrons, but they’re highly suspicious of the profit motive. Any impact on their pocketbook is blamed on the greedy fat cats on Wall Street, not on that new plasma TV in the living room.</p>
<p>“They’re schizophrenic and they don’t really want to be engaged,” says Suzanne Shelton, president and CEO of Shelton Group, an advertising firm that specializes in efficiency and renewable energy marketing. “What Americans want from their utility is low cost, reliable power. They see it as an inalienable right, and if the utility tries to charge more money for it, they scream and yell.”</p>
<p>Shelton’s firm conducts a survey on perceptions of energy efficient home improvements, as well as incentives and billing programs. The 2011 survey data, released in February, demonstrates a stunning level of cognitive dissonance.</p>
<p>For example, despite their ever-proliferating number of electronic devices and appliances, 72 percent of Americans believe they aren’t using more electricity today than they were five years ago. Fully half of customers believe their homes are already energy efficient, despite the fact that more than half have done little or nothing to improve its efficiency. The report suggests a defiant, have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too brand of willful ignorance—or at least a rather immature way of thinking about utility services.</p>
<p>That’s not to say utilities have been particularly adept at communicating with consumers. But it does take two to have a conversation.</p>
<p>“I would say historically, the utility-customer relationship has been somewhat parental,” says Ted Reguly, director of smart meters at San Diego Gas &amp; Electric. “They only call us when there’s an issue, and there isn’t much interaction.”</p>
<p>For well over a century, utilities dutifully went about providing the essentials to a mostly unknowing and ungrateful public. That’s not a bad thing; It worked, and it made for a steady, stable, profitable industry. But times are changing. Energy generation is more visible than ever, and every resource comes with social and environmental caveats. The smart grid is inching forward, and with it the need for consumers to participate in meaningful ways—far beyond glancing at and griping about the bill every month or two.</p>
<p>For any of the smart grid’s efficiencies to actually pay off, customers need to be on board—as true partners. That’s not going to happen if they have their fingers in their ears.</p>
<p>Customers are on the verge of a major transformation. On some level they know the change is coming; their childhood is coming to an end. And in their parental role, utilities have a responsibility to push the conversation. Tactfully and delicately, but relentlessly—because not doing so will have dire consequences for everybody.</p>
<p><b>No Capital C </b></p>
<p>The first step for utilities trying to improve customer engagement is to rethink their notions about who their customers are.</p>
<p>“There isn’t ‘a’ customer—there’s real heterogeneity out there, and that’s no different from any other market,” says Cameron Brooks, senior director of market development and policy strategy at Tendril, which provides energy management systems. “But there’s still this discussion of the customer with a capital C, as if there’s just one profile.”</p>
<p>In the old days, it didn’t matter much. The main thing that differentiated one customer from another was how much juice they used. The smart grid rewrites that script. For starters, different customer segments have divergent preferences in the way they interact with things like usage information, dynamic pricing and demand response programs. Individual choices get increasingly complicated from there, with green power options, net metering for rooftop solar panels and eventually smart charging for electric vehicles (<i>see “Austin Plugs In”</i>).</p>
<p>That diversity must shape the programs and communication tools that utilities offer. One size won’t fit all. Some consumers will no doubt prefer the old-fashioned paper report. Others will gravitate to mobile devices or the web. It isn’t a matter of determining the right platform, but embracing all of them.</p>
<p>“We’re learning from market research that customer segmentation is fairly complex. There are different motivators for how people want to manage energy and why,” says Tim Wolf, director of consumer outreach at metering company Itron. “It ranges from the committed green segment on one end, to the diehard skeptics on the other. In the middle are people who will do it if it’s cheap and easy. As an industry, we’re just starting to get our arms around both the rational and the emotional motivations that drive people in those segments.”</p>
<p>Shelton’s firm divides the market into quarters: “True believers” are the early adopters. Optimistic, tech-savvy and green, they’re impatient to get their hands on new toys and tools. “Concerned moms” and “working-class realists” are on the fence. They don’t fully understand what the smart grid will give them, or what it will cost. They need clear, digestible information—not esoteric technical data—to help them get comfortable with the brave new world. Then there are the “cautious conservatives.”</p>
<p>“These are the guys utilities need to spend money marketing to, because they’re the loudest opponents,” Shelton says. “None of the other groups are going to go raise hell about it, but the cautious conservative group will—if it’s not treated appropriately.”</p>
<p>These are the skeptics, and they have a wide range of objections, from the health effects of wireless signals to the bottom line of the bill. Resolving their concerns won’t be easy, especially for old-school utility managers.</p>
<p><b>Look Who’s Talking </b></p>
<p>“When I speak to utilities, there’s always a point in my presentation when I ask, ‘How many engineers do I have in the room?’” Shelton says. “Half of the people in the room raise their hands, even at a marketing conference, because utilities frequently put engineers in marketing positions.”</p>
<p>Not that there’s anything wrong with engineers, it’s just that their communication style tends to focus on technical data and operational logic. The entire industry is technically oriented, and the people who are best able to solve complex technical problems rise to the top of the organizational ladder. That’s great for the reliability of the grid, but not optimal when it comes to answering emotional questions that might be fundamentally irrational.</p>
<p>Moreover, engineers tend to err on the side of providing too much information. So if, for example, customers don’t understand the smart meter value proposition, the solution is to deluge them with data. But data doesn’t win hearts and minds.</p>
<p>In this sense, utilities need a crash course in the fundamentals—Marketing 101. Other types of retail-product companies have been selling cars and sneakers on a purely emotional basis for generations, but utilities have never had to really sell anything before—and now they find themselves swimming in the deep end of the pool.</p>
<p>“There’s a learning curve because of the history and structure of the industry,” Wolf says. “It’s been vertically integrated, regulated—almost a sanctioned monopoly. There hasn’t been the need to truly understand the customer. So this is a huge organizational and cultural challenge for utilities. They have a lot to learn from other industries.”</p>
<p>Some utilities are taking the cue and beginning to hire marketing talent from outside the industry. That bodes well, Shelton says, especially when it comes to embracing social media and other facets of modern communication technology.</p>
<p>“They’re making positive steps,” she says, “but I think the challenge is the top tier and upper middle-level executives at utilities that are making these decisions. They’re so engineering and operations oriented that marketing is kind of an afterthought. Being cautious conservatives themselves, they often try to take control of everything and over-manage the process.”</p>
<p><b>Promises, Promises </b></p>
<p>Overbearing, tech-heavy messaging about the benefits of the smart grid might have led to more confusion than clarity among customers. For example, utilities often talk in terms of overall efficiencies that most directly benefit the utility itself. For a customer to truly understand how they fit into that picture, they need a working knowledge of market structure, regulation and rate-making, and that’s asking a lot of customers who think of electricity as a God-given right, rather than a retail service.</p>
<p>“There’s a disconnect between many of the statements that utilities make and customers’ actual experiences,” says Brooks. “I’m being told that smart grid is allowing more reliable service and that the utility is operating better, but my day-to-day experience hasn’t changed.”</p>
<p>A big part of the reason the industry has struggled to communicate customer benefits is that until recently, those benefits have been anything but tangible.</p>
<p>“When you look at the investment to date on things like AMI and substation automation, the benefits for customers have been opaque to say the least,” says Kevin Lauckner, utility market leader at Honeywell. “Only now is that really starting to change.”</p>
<p>With enough infrastructure now in place, utilities on the smart grid vanguard are implementing programs that actually will change customers’ day-to-day experience. And utilities are learning lessons about the way they’re talking to customers about it.</p>
<p>Southern California Edison, for example, is nearly half way to its goal of installing 5 million smart meters by 2012, and the company’s communication strategy has evolved significantly since the $1.6 billion project kicked off in 2009.</p>
<p>“We’ve tuned our messaging on a dynamic basis,” says Ken Devore, director of Edison SmartConnect, SCE’s smart meter program. “We took some of the jargon out. We initially engineered it to our liking, because that’s how we always talk to each other, but we’ve probably made half a dozen revisions to those first messages.” (<i>See “Taking it to the People.”</i>)</p>
<p>Throughout the industry, companies are going through a process of trial and error to learn which messages connect and which ones don’t.</p>
<p>“We know that with consumers, money resonates,” Lauckner says. “In some cases, utilities might have to be more frank about the fact that they’re making these changes, at least in part, to avoid building a new power plant in your backyard.”</p>
<p>Gradually, the industry is coming to realize that the primary thrust of its engagement strategy—at least initially—must be emotional. And when the target is less than fully mature, there’s no more effective tack than a direct appeal to human psychology.</p>
<p><b>In Control </b></p>
<p>Human beings are driven by a range of motivational factors, some of them conscious, and others unconscious. Utilities need to think carefully about what messages they emphasize, and how they present those messages.</p>
<p>“The advice that we give our utility clients is to focus on the control aspects,” Shelton says. “Try to make it less about the bill and more about the customer being able to take control of their consumption.”</p>
<p>This can be a fairly straightforward message: Prices aren’t going down, life isn’t getting any easier, but the robust technology of the smart grid is creating a multitude of ways customers can control not only their usage, but their whole house and the nature of their relationship with utilities. Delivered correctly, this message has real appeal, because people prefer feeling like they’re in the driver’s seat, rather than being driven in the direction the utility wants them to go.</p>
<p>“There are two universal messages that transcend and resonate across market segments,” Wolf says. “The first one is control—consumer control rather than utility control. The second one revolves around the desire to not waste stuff.”</p>
<p>Waste doesn’t necessarily imply a green sensibility, which raises political and personal objections. Instead, it’s about the fact that most folks don’t like to throw away something valuable, especially something that costs them money. The urge to avoid waste and the urge to be in control represent universal psychological drivers—drivers that utilities can use to sell the benefits of smart grid changes.</p>
<p>“It absolutely has to be a combination of rational and emotional messaging,” Wolf says.</p>
<p>But there’s a catch. Putting customers in control might be a powerful idea, but the word itself carries psychological baggage, triggering images of Big Brother, and implying that utilities want to take control, even if their messages state exactly the opposite.</p>
<p>“We’ve tested words for impact,” says SCE’s Devore. “We thought ‘control’ was a distinct word customers would like. But in our polling and focus groups it had a double meaning. So instead, we talk about decisions. We talk about options.”</p>
<p>Likewise, SDG&amp;E favors such words as “choice” and “convenience” in its systematic approach to communicating about its smart meter rollout (<i>See “90 Days to Pave the Way”</i>).</p>
<p>Euphemisms, of course, are nothing new to marketing professionals, who practice the art and science of persuasion. If the science involves coming up with the right message, then the art is finding the words that get it across with the least friction. The good news for utilities is that other industries have already paved the way for overcoming customers’ reflexive skepticism and aversion to change.</p>
<p>“People are comfortable now with online financial transactions,” Devore says. “It will take a little while for them to get to that level of comfort with this new utility relationship.”</p>
<p><b>Comfort Zone </b></p>
<p>Making customers comfortable means addressing their questions and concerns in a forthright way—even if they might be technically ridiculous.</p>
<p>“If you dodge tough questions, it’ll be a nightmare,” Reguly says. “RF is getting a lot of press right now—the radio frequency effects of smart meters—and customers are opting out because of it. There’s no scientific basis behind these concerns. So we really need to get the facts out there, because this issue could derail the smart grid development process.”</p>
<p>Privacy and security concerns are similarly unfounded, but they occupy the minds of consumers more than rate cases ever will. So along with control and choice, companies have to stress that smart meters are tested, safe, secure and benign. And there’s no overstating the need for a constant delivery of these simple messages. Like political talking points, if people hear them over and over again, eventually they’ll come to accept them.</p>
<p>But in the end, if utilities want to engage consumers as true partners, they have to start the process by treating them as partners.</p>
<p>“We’ve had to develop a much more open, honest, and transparent relationship with our customers than we’ve had in the past,” Reguly says. “That’s where other utilities have failed. They’ve seen this as something they can do in stealth. I firmly disagree. You need to be out front with your customers.”</p>
<p>Eventually—and sooner than later—those customers will want an answer to a question any true partner would insist on asking: “Why?” On this question in particular, utilities struggle against the urge to unleash a technical torrent. Instead, they need to communicate a thoughtful but meaningful response.</p>
<p>“Why do things have to change? That’s what it boils down to for people who have concerns about smart meters,” says Wolf. “The answer might be that things need to change in order to remain the same. If we want our energy resources to be efficient, affordable and reliable; to underpin a growing economy; to insulate ourselves from events in the Middle East, then we have to put more intelligence into the system and run it more efficiently. When you look at it in that context, things need to change to remain the same.”</p>
<p>That’s the kind of a message a grownup will understand.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field-collection-container clearfix"><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar field-type-field-collection field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-sidebar clearfix">
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<div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-title field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Title:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Austin Plugs In</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-body field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Body:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><!--smart_paging_filter--><p>Electric vehicles present an opportunity for utilities to reshape and strengthen their relationships with customers. For one thing, the first people who buy EVs—tech-savvy early adopters willing to pay a premium for efficiency and the environment—will almost certainly be easier to engage than the average customer.</p><p>Austin Energy is betting that meeting these customers where they shop will pave the way to a more robust relationship. Last fall the municipal utility installed its first public EV charging station in the parking lot of Whole Foods’ Austin flagship store, sending a clear signal to consumers.</p><p>“The most powerful message right now is that you can buy an electric vehicle with confidence that you’ll have access to charging if you need it,” says Karl Rabago, Austin Energy’s vice president for distributed energy services.</p><p>The company has since installed dozens more public level-2 chargers at other partnering retailers, libraries and public buildings, aiming for between 100 and 200 to be operating by summer’s end.</p><p>“One high-growth estimate says we could have as many as 200,000 EVs in our service territory by 2020,” Rabago says. “That requires some serious grown-up planning. We’ll have a lot of issues for the grid, even before we reach those big numbers.”</p><p>But the company knows it can’t just connect with the cars; it must also connect with the owners.</p><p>Most utilities expect the first wave of EVs to come in clusters on the grid, creating potential distribution problems at local transformers. That means they have to figure out where the cars are, and gather information from owners on their use and charging patterns. (<i>See “<a href="http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2011/06/top-10-ev-challenges">Top 10 EV Challenges</a>”</i>)</p><p>Austin Energy is offering a 50 percent rebate for in-home chargers and installation—up to a maximum $1,500 rebate—in exchange for active consumer participation in a pilot program that allows the utility to gather information about how, when and where EV owners charge their cars.</p><p>“This is coming, and it’s our duty to manage it,” Rabago says. “It’s our duty to make sure that we facilitate this new load emerging in a way that’s safe, reliable, fair and cost-justified.”–SA</p></div></div></div> </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-title field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Title:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Taking it to the People</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-body field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Body:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><!--smart_paging_filter--><p>Southern California Edison’s SmartConnect program is among the nation’s most advanced AMI initiatives. Approved in 2008, the plan aims to install 5 million smart meters by 2012. SCE is on schedule and has already installed almost half those meters, but engaging customers has been as big a priority as the technical challenge.</p><p>“We’ve made years of investment in research and development on the technology side, but we’ve also thrown the challenge at our team to think of the customer first,” says Edison SmartConnect Director Ken Devore. “We put our feet in their shoes and try to match our technology effort on the engagement side.”</p><p>With some more advanced smart grid features coming online—100,000 customers are now on full interval billing with web presentment enabled—the utility is starting to “hit the accelerator” on customer communication, Devore says. Part of that is through traditional channels like door hangers and call centers, but the project hinges on a comprehensive grassroots effort.</p><p>“Our local public affairs people go out and talk to community leaders,” he says. “We work with local media, public access, city councils; we get our presence out there physically. If we have a chance to be a part of a community forum or what we call ‘get connected’ events, we take an RV that’s fully outfitted to talk about energy efficiency, smart metering and smart grid.”</p><p>SCE has taken a layered approach in an attempt to reach all its customers. Early messaging that was tech-heavy and jargon-filled has evolved along a number of tracks. That means delivering robust technical information to the early adopters who know well how to read their old analog meters, while giving the less tech-savvy majority a softer introduction to the service changes.</p><p>The goal, Devore says, is to demystify the meter change-out process for consumers, and build a broader story from there. To that end, the company has produced animated web shorts for YouTube distribution that explain the fundamentals of smart grid efficiency.</p><p>“We developed a couple characters—talking houses called Carl and Eddy,” Devore says. “We have 10 vignettes where they take people through pretty complicated concepts about tiered billing, what it means to get your meter, what interval billing is, what budget alert is, things like that.”</p><p>The shorts, which also have Spanish and other language versions, are presented at public events as well as online, and have proven to be a hit.</p><p>“People are asking if we can draw those down into 30 second spots that can run on the air,” he says. “Believe me, we’re absolutely serious about doing that. They have had a non-threatening, really positive impact, because you can’t help but like them.”</p><p>The bottom line, Devore says, is trying multiple approaches, learning from mistakes and building on the messages that resonate.</p><p>“We don’t want to leave any customer behind in their ability to participate in smart metering or the smart grid.” –SA</p></div></div></div> </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-title field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Title:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">90 Days to Pave the Way</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-sidebar-body field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Sidebar Body:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><!--smart_paging_autop_filter--><!--smart_paging_filter--><p>Utilities take a lot of knocks for their lackluster consumer engagement track record, and that’s not totally fair. Until the advent of deregulated markets and smart grid enabled services, they really didn’t have much need for sophisticated marketing.</p><p>“The utility has historically been a monopoly, marketing a commodity in a very bland way,” says Ted Reguly, director of smart meters at San Diego Gas &amp; Electric.</p><p>As a result, the transition to modern consumer interface practices is a profound one, and not to be underestimated. Utilities can’t be shy about the fact they have a lot to learn.</p><p>SDG&amp;E began installing smart meters in 2009, and has constantly updated its messages and marketing materials based on consumer feedback, Reguly says.</p><p>“Effective marketing is proactive and targeted. It doesn’t help to communicate to Hispanic-speaking individuals in English,” he says. “It starts with simple things like that, and knowing what their communication preferences are.”</p><p>Understanding the range of consumer concerns is equally important. Some customers are acutely sensitive to privacy issues, while others are primarily concerned with cost. Companies must actively bring answers and options to customers.</p><p>SDG&amp;E uses a stepped process to gradually prepare customers for the transition to smart meters. Three months ahead of time, the focus is on bringing local public officials up to speed, so they can help deliver the news. At 60 days out, company representatives are on the ground at local events like street fairs and club meetings, getting the word out. At 30 days, mailings go out to individual customers. Then, seven days ahead of time, the utility calls customers to notify them of the installation and offer the opportunity to schedule appointments.</p><p>By the time technicians arrive, the utility hopes the way has been paved, with customers’ questions answered and fears allayed. As hard as the utility has worked to engage customers, though, Reguly says if he could, he’d redouble the effort.</p><p>“We’re probably one of the most aggressive utilities in understanding the customer and being sure that we deliver customer benefits early,” he says. “If I had to do it again, I would have been even more aggressive.”–SA</p><p> </p></div></div></div> </div>
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</div></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/evs-storage-0">EVs &amp; Storage</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/customer-engagement">Customer Engagement</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/ami">AMI</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-picture field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image Picture:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/article_images/1106/images/1106-FEA1.jpg" width="720" height="906" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
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<a href="/tags/ami">AMI</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cameron-brooks">Cameron Brooks</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dg">DG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edison-smartconnect">Edison SmartConnect</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/energy-generation">Energy generation</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/honeywell">Honeywell</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/itron">Itron</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ken-devore">Ken Devore</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/kevin-lauckner">Kevin Lauckner</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/privacy">Privacy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sce">SCE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/shelton-group">Shelton Group</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar-panels">solar panels</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-california-edison">Southern California Edison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/suzanne-shelton">Suzanne Shelton</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ted-reguly">Ted Reguly</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tendril">Tendril</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/tim-wolf">Tim Wolf</a> </div>
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Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000puradmin14096 at https://www.fortnightly.com